Why Immortelle Corsets & Gowns Are Open Front
At Immortelle, the corset is not hidden. It is not treated as an understructure meant to disappear beneath layers. It is the garment itself.
Every Immortelle corset and corset gown is designed with an open front, and this choice is neither decorative nor incidental. It is architectural, historical, and deeply intentional.
Historically, corsets were engineered objects. They were built to open, close, adjust, and endure. An open-front corset acknowledges this lineage. By allowing the front of the corset to open, the garment becomes an object that meets the body rather than confines it. It respects the act of dressing as something deliberate, not hurried or forceful.
An open-front corset also allows a woman to dress herself fully and comfortably. While historical dress often assumed assistance, modern life does not. Opening the garment at the front allows the wearer to step into structure rather than struggle against it. This is not a matter of convenience, but of dignity. The garment serves the wearer, not the other way around.
Bodies change over time, and Immortelle designs with longevity in mind. An open-front corset accommodates natural fluctuations without compromising its structure. It allows subtle adjustments, seasonal changes, and years of wear without placing strain on seams or bones. Instead of demanding permanence, the corset evolves alongside the woman who wears it.
At Immortelle, construction is not something to be hidden. The open front allows the language of craft to remain visible. Lacing, structure, and balance are part of the beauty of the garment. Understanding how a corset works deepens the relationship between wearer and clothing, transforming the piece from something merely worn into something known.
The open-front design also allows for adornment without sacrifice. Decorative stomachers, panels, and layered embellishments can be introduced and removed without altering the integrity of the corset itself. One garment becomes many expressions, shifting with mood, setting, and season while remaining structurally consistent.
We design corsets to be worn, lived in, and returned to. An open-front corset honors the body, the craft, and the long history of dressing as an art form. It is not restrictive. It is revealing — of structure, of strength, and of choice.
At Immortelle, the corset opens because it is meant to be entered thoughtfully, not endured.
