Lace Embrace Atelier Opens its Doors to Vancouver

July 23rd, 2008 | Published in Designers

Words by Maria Photo by Tallulah

Lace Embrace Atelier: another Vancouver home-grown talent to be proud of.

Okay fine, so designer and creator of Lace Embrace Atelier Melanie Talkington wasn’t born and raised in Vancouver. But here is where she perfected her skills as a designer and seamstress, since the fashion program she was to take in Calgary, her place of origin, got cancelled. So there you go: Lace Embrace was born and raised in Vancouver, where it continues to thrive.

How does it thrive you ask? Well, early in the year Melanie Talkington finally gave in and opened a storefront studio. Lace Embrace fans were driving her nuts trying to find and come into her studio at all times, most of them confused by the fact it that it wasn’t an obvious site like a retail space would be. “[My customers] kept walking up and down West 10th where my studio was looking for us, but it wasn’t open to the public and even though everything was done by appointment they still continued to try to find us,” she recalls, “so when we needed a bigger studio space I felt that I should look for a retail space as well so that my customers would know where I was and they could just come to us.” Melanie opened the doors of Lace Embrace Atelier on 219 East 16th Avenue in February of this year where she carries premade corsets, lingerie pieces, petticoats, garters, and anything that complements the wearing of the corset.

A Grand Opening party was held just a few weeks ago on June 14, on the same day as Car Free Day on Main Street. Many of Melanie’s fans attended and people from the community and around Vancouver gathered at the atelier to join in on the festivities. The crowds were delighted by burlesque performers such as Malaika Millions and Crystal Precious and were enthralled by the alluring can-can dancers. The performers put on their acts in and around the store, many passersby stopping on their tracks and veering their way to get a closer look. I myself gave in to the attractions and even tried on a corset of the “under-bust” variety. I found it quite pleasing both in feel and look. Mind you, I felt a little short of breath for the first few instants, but the feeling quickly passed and I was able to take deeper breaths. This is because you are breathing more from the chest rather than the stomach and it takes a little getting used to. “You should always listen to your body to see how it is reacting when lacing a corset,” Melanie advices, “if you’re feeling any discomfort you should loosen the laces and always stay within your comfort zone.”

Corsets were originally worn to keep up with the fashionable figure of the time and have been argued to have been used as a way to control and undermine women subconsciously. Today, a corset is meant to create a positive feeling in the wearer: making one feel sexy, feminine, and beautiful. “There are a lot of positive benefits from trying on and wearing a corset. We don’t really have people in here with negative body images or if they come in here with a negative body image once they put on a corset everything’s instantly changed and they feel good about themselves and they look good.” Today’s corsets are not meant to be torturous in any way because it all boils down to what each individual wants the corset to achieve for them: whether it be an ever diminishing waist line or a heightened sense of sexual confidence. “Most people can reduce their waistline by two inches when they first try a corset on,” Melanie explains, “you can reduce your waistline even more, but that all depends on what your personal preferences are. The corset reshapes you, improves your posture, gives you an hourglass figure and puts your body into pleasing proportions,” Melanie states, “it’s instant weight loss without a diet. People stand up better; they carry themselves differently. They feel more secure because the corset is like a comfortable body hug.”

Melanie designs her corsets after original antique corsets from the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries. The feeling a woman felt centuries ago when wearing her corset is the same feeling that is achieved when wearing a Lace Embrace design. Being shaped and embraced in this way is quite the experience and Melanie knows it. Her fascination with corsets started at a young age when she saw Dolly Parton in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. “I wanted to know how she achieved her figure and I found that she wore corsets,” Melanie recalls, “I was curious about what corsets were and I asked all the ladies in my family trying to understand and learn more about them. They tried to explain, but I wanted to actually see one and see how it felt.” Melanie started to collect antique corsets in the early 90’s and now has the largest collection in Canada. She has displayed her collection in museums around BC and one day hopes to open a museum of her own.

Lace Embrace already ships its products worldwide, but one of Melanie’s visions is to set up shops internationally. “Vancouver will always be my home, but definitely I want the business to expand,” she explains, “I’d like to see more locations of Lace Embrace open up in major cities around the world—we already ship our product around the world so there’s no reason why there couldn’t be stores also.”

Yes, please. I could use a corset or two in my wardrobe. Since my experience at the grand opening of Lace Embrace I feel like my eyes have been opened to a whole new world of sexy finery and silky wonders. Why not wear a corset? Why did this not occur to me before? You can use the corset for outside and inside the bedroom parties AND you can wear it inside and outside your clothes. How very versatile and how very fortunate we are to have Melanie and Lace Embrace residing right here in Vancouver. Although… I can already see a Lace Embrace shop in the streets of Paris or London, where it certainly seems that it belongs.

Published in Designers