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Key findings from the interview
- Corsetry is a profession based on practice, experience and knowledge passed on by masters, and not solely on ready-made blanks.
- The underwear of yesteryear was more durable, sewn from different materials and designed to last for many years.
- Modern underwear offers a greater choice of models, colours and sizes, but is often inferior to the former products in terms of durability.
- Wearing tightly compression corsets should not be considered an everyday health-promoting practice.
- Repairing and altering underwear makes sense, but only within reason and while maintaining the functionality of the product.
- Adjusting underwear after a mastectomy can make a huge difference not only practically, but also mentally and emotionally.
What the conversation is about
The talk is about corsetry understood more broadly than just corset sewing. Guests talk about the history of the profession, old techniques, materials and semi-products, and how the needs of female clients and the way lingerie is designed have changed over the decades.
There is also an important contemporary theme: the alteration and repair of lingerie, a responsible approach to the product and the possibility of adapting bras for women after cancer treatment. In the text, we naturally also refer to Bouduar's material related to the the history and present of corsetry, as well as to a guide about it, how to measure your bra size correctly.
Key concepts
- Corsetry - crafts related to the design, construction and sewing of lingerie and corsetry.
- Underwire - stiffening elements used in bras and corsets, formerly made differently than today.
- Bardot - a bra model with a distinctive cup line, often associated with an open neckline.
- Cutout - the technical construction form from which the sewing of a given underwear model begins.
- Mastectomy - surgical removal of the breast, after which an individual fitting of underwear is often necessary.
- Zero waste / repair - the approach of extending the life of a product as long as its continued use remains sensible and safe.
List of topics of conversation
- [00:00:00] Introduction to the podcast and introduction of guests.
- [00:01:43] How Ewa Pusz and Luke Budzisz ended up in the profession.
- [00:06:30] How the interviewees met and what the collaboration between the studios was like.
- [00:08:40] Biggest changes in corsetry: models, sizes, materials and availability of raw materials.
- [00:11:40] The past durability of underwear and the idea of an exhibition of historic models.
- [00:14:50] Luke's nursing look at underwear design.
- [00:17:35] Are corsets healthy and when do they make sense.
- [00:19:30] What elements of traditional corsetry survive today.
- [00:22:05] A male perspective in lingerie design.
- [00:24:40] Client reactions and professionalism in lingerie work.
- [00:25:50] Is it possible to learn to be a corset maker or a corset maker today.
- [00:32:55] Repairs, underwear alterations and the limits of sanity.
- [00:34:40] Reworking post-mastectomy underwear and support for women.
- [00:38:00] End of conversation.
Podcast experts / Interviewees
Martyna Sobiecka - interviewer, owner of the Bouduar brand. In the podcast, she combines the brand's perspective with practical questions about the construction, history and function of lingerie.
Ewa Pusz - owner of the Dawna Gorse Ciarnia workshop in Gdansk. Having been involved in the industry for years, she learned from corset makers and brings knowledge of old techniques, materials and the realities of the profession to the conversation.
Łukasz Budzisz - Bouduar's co-founder, the brand's chief designer, also known as Mr Gorseciarz. He combines his design experience with the science of nursing, so that he also looks at lingerie through the lens of anatomy and comfort.
Quotes from the conversation
There really is a lot to talk about because the profession has changed so much over more than thirty years.
Ewa Pusz
As a corsetist, I further prefer a belt with panties and a bra. I find it more comfortable and the organs cannot be squeezed endlessly.
Łukasz Budzisz
This is not an easy product to make. In a bra, you can't just rip something off and make a new one like you can in regular tailoring.
Ewa Pusz
It's fun to fix, rework and refurbish something, but everything should be done within reason.
Ewa Pusz
If a woman used to wear nice lingerie and then, after being ill, has to put on something completely out of style, there is also a big psychological burden.
Ewa Pusz
Frequently Asked Questions
Can corsetry be learned today as it used to be?
Interviewees emphasise that the old system of apprenticeship has virtually disappeared. There were schools, guilds and masters, and today it is more common to find courses or training that do not always prepare one for full practice of a profession.
What has changed the most in lingerie sewing?
The biggest changes concern sizing, the number of models, the availability of colours and materials, as well as customers' expectations of comfort and aesthetics.
Was the old underwear better?
In terms of durability, very often yes. The bras and corsets of the past were sewn from other materials, more resistant and designed for years of use.
Does it make sense to repair underwear?
Yes, but not always. Replacing underwires, adjusters, straps or a minor adjustment is sometimes justified, but rescuing a completely worn bra does not always make functional or aesthetic sense.
Is the corset suitable for everyday wear?
Luke Budzisz takes a cautious approach. He pays attention to physiology and believes that strong squeezing of the body should not be regarded as neutral to health.
Why are post-mastectomy underwear alterations important?
Because they help to maintain not only comfort, but also a sense of femininity and agency. For many women, being able to customise their favourite lingerie has great emotional significance.
Full transcript of the interview
Introduction to the episode
[00:00:00] Martyna Sobiecka:
Welcome to the Bouduar Naked DNA podcast. I'm Martina and today I invite you on a journey into the world of Bouduar - a place where beauty, elegance and passion meet professionalism.
In this podcast, I talk to experts that our brand works with on a daily basis. We share knowledge from areas well known to our company and close to our brand.
If you are interested in the world of beautiful lingerie and inspirational talks, you are in the right place. I promise a good dose of valuable information.
If you don't already subscribe to the channel, I warmly invite you to do so. I would also be very pleased if you share your opinion.
Today, I have the pleasure of hosting two exceptional specialists: Łukasz Budzisz, a nurse and corset maker, and Ewa Pusz, a corset maker with extensive experience.
We will talk about corsetry from two perspectives and try to look into both the history of the profession and its present day.
[00:01:43] Martyna Sobiecka:
I invite you to join the conversation. Hi, Eve. Hi, Luke.
Ewa Pusz:
Hi.
Łukasz Budzisz:
Hi.
Martyna Sobiecka:
I am pleased to have you join me today. We are going to talk about a topic that is very close to all of us, because corsetry has brought us together in a way.
To start with, I would like to know a little bit about your history. I know you both and I know quite a bit about your professional paths, but I'm curious to know how these stories connect.
I can already see one common point: your profession came to you somewhat by accident. Will you tell us more about that?
Starting out in the profession
[00:02:39] Łukasz Budzisz:
I can say that my profession came completely out of nowhere and really a bit by accident.
Ewa Pusz:
When I started learning my trade, Luke was probably just starting to sit on the potty.
Łukasz Budzisz:
This is true, but nevertheless we experienced a lot of this transformation of our corsetry together.
Eve also started corsetry as a result of a life twist. She wanted to take a different path, but in the end it all turned out just like that.
Ewa Pusz:
Exactly. Something pushed me - not to the right, not to the left, but just into this profession. And it's actually a very cool job.
The profession has changed so much over these thirty-plus years that one could talk about it for hours.
It was through corsetry that we also met, and then we started to know each other and work together.
Martyna Sobiecka:
Luke, I would also like you to let out a bit of a secret and tell us what it was like from your side.
Male corsetry still sounds rather unusual, although, after all, men once also practised this profession, as many activities simply required a lot of physical strength.
Łukasz Budzisz:
Yes, scooping eyelets, cutting metal parts or working with whalebones did indeed require strength. But with me, it all started much earlier, even before there was a real thought of a profession.
Looking at the leaves, I was putting together corsets for my cousins' Barbie dolls. These were such my first designs.
Later, already in primary school, I thought about two professions: hairdressing and corsetry.
Martyna Sobiecka:
And which of these roads was the first love?
Łukasz Budzisz:
Definitely hairdressing. In those very early years I even wanted to become a nurse, but that was knocked out of my head.
At the time, this profession was very neglected, badly associated and virtually devoid of prestige. Fortunately, this is changing today.
Ewa Pusz:
It is worth adding that Luke is studying nursing today, so two professions were clearly not enough for him.
How the interviewees met
[00:06:30] Martyna Sobiecka:
Do you remember how you met? I met Eve actually through you, Luke.
Ewa Pusz:
But I didn't know him then. Rather, it was he who found me.
My establishment in Wrzeszcz has always been there. Clients have said that for as long as they can remember, this establishment has simply been there.
Łukasz Budzisz:
I think I came to Eve because I needed something urgently and was relying on human kindness.
Through craft guilds and professional circles, people knew each other. Sometimes they borrowed something, sometimes they shopped together for larger quantities of materials.
There were also times when we talked about wires, about construction and about how someone makes something.
Ewa Pusz:
Yes, we exchanged knowledge. We asked about old models, how to make a strapless bardot, how to run tunnels, how to stiffen something.
Today, a lot of solutions are ready-made, whereas in the past you really had to combine and make some elements yourself.
How corsetry has changed
[00:08:40] Martyna Sobiecka:
Eve, you have been working in corsetry for years. What major changes do you see in the profession?
Ewa Pusz:
First of all, the size and number of models has changed enormously. There used to be much less choice.
Today we have bralettes, balconettes, modelled models, seamless models, large busts without underwire. There used to be mainly classic constructions and a few basic types.
Materials have also changed. Today we have a greater choice of lace, embroidery, colours, elastics and accessories.
Łukasz Budzisz:
Accessibility itself is also a big change. Today it is much easier to get various raw materials, intermediates and inspirations.
Ewa Pusz:
In the past, even if someone had the imagination to do something different, they often didn't have the wherewithal. There wasn't such a choice of materials.
There was a time when even curtains were used for bras, just to get something prettier and more decorative.
In the past, underwear and clothing lasted for years. Today, we're going back a bit to the mindset of repairing and refurbishing things, but the quality of many modern products is no longer what it used to be.
Łukasz Budzisz:
I have material that is fifty years old and still excellent. It is very impressive.
I also collect older models of bras, as I have long had in mind an exhibition showing old lingerie and trying to recreate it.
[00:11:40] Martyna Sobiecka:
What would be included in such an exhibition?
Łukasz Budzisz:
The most valuable pieces for me are the old pieces of lingerie I got from one of my clients - things from her mother, aunts and maybe even her grandmother.
This is underwear dating back to the 1940s. I would like not so much to sew something „anew” as to replicate the old model as closely as possible and compare it with a contemporary rendition.
Ewa Pusz:
Technically, a lot can be reproduced, but identical materials are harder to come by. And that is why such an exhibition would be very interesting.
In Bouduar, moreover, the theme of the history of the profession appears regularly, as does material on the corsetry as a combination of tradition and modernity.
Nursing and lingerie design
[00:14:50] Martyna Sobiecka:
Luke, how does your nursing experience inform your lingerie design and sewing?
Łukasz Budzisz:
It's a difficult question, because for a long time I separated the two areas. It's only now, writing my undergraduate thesis on breast reconstruction care, that I'm really starting to bring them together.
However, my studies have given me more medical knowledge and a greater awareness of what happens to the body - if only with large breasts and spinal strains.
Ewa Pusz:
It used to be, I think, that people looked more at whether the underwear was good for the body. Nowadays, it's more common to look at whether something will show under the blouse and whether the strap is too wide.
And yet in the past, ladies paid more attention to stability, support and back relief.
Łukasz Budzisz:
Today, many components are more flexible, which is not always beneficial in use, as rubber loses its properties over time.
At the same time, customers today are used to comfort. It would be difficult for them to go back to very rigid, non-stretchable solutions.
Ewa Pusz:
It used to be that bras were boiled, starchy, underwire removed for washing. It was natural fabrics and a completely different way of using underwear.
Today, many people just throw everything in the washing machine and expect it to be comfortable, soft and fast.
Is the corset healthy?
[00:17:35] Martyna Sobiecka:
Luke, over the years you have been rather sceptical about wearing corsets on a daily basis. Has studying nursing changed anything about this?
Łukasz Budzisz:
No. As a corset wearer I still prefer a belt with panties and a bra. I find it more comfortable.
Even before I gained medical knowledge, I believed that organs cannot be squeezed with impunity. It is not indifferent to the body.
If someone brought me a certificate from a doctor that they could squeeze their waist by twenty centimetres, then we could discuss it. But in practice I don't approach it that way.
I like corsets for specific purposes - for a shoot, theatre, performance, styling. On the other hand, a daily, heavy body compression doesn't seem like a good option to me.
Yes, there were women who wore corsets for decades and their bodies adapted to it, but that doesn't mean it was natural physiology.
Ewa Pusz:
Women in the 19th century wore corsets even when pregnant. From today's perspective, this sounds unbelievable.
Łukasz Budzisz:
For me this is also actually a curiosity.
What remains of the old techniques today
[00:19:30] Martyna Sobiecka:
What elements of traditional corsetry are still preserved today? I am thinking of materials, intermediates or constructions.
Ewa Pusz:
Many things have changed, even the fastenings. When I started, there were still very different plastic solutions, which have virtually disappeared today.
Łukasz Budzisz:
Underwires have come a long way. Today, we buy ready-made, properly finished components. In the past, they were even made from bicycle spokes or other raw materials, which had to be worked by hand.
Ewa Pusz:
Yes, the ends were bent, secured and the lengths were very different to what they are now. Today there are much longer whalebones available than there used to be.
The hooks and some of the design solutions have also remained, but the workmanship and quality of the raw materials have changed over the years.
Martyna Sobiecka:
That is, certain elements survive, but in a different technological form.
Ewa Pusz:
Exactly right.
A male perspective in lingerie design
[00:22:05] Martyna Sobiecka:
Luke, and how does your male gaze influence lingerie design?
Łukasz Budzisz:
Probably some feminists would say that I am „murdering” women in these projects, but of course I am joking.
I just have a very specific aesthetic vision. For years I've been thinking back to a certain image from a film from the 1950s - a woman in a black lace corset with a garter belt, very feminine, very expressive, but not necessarily extremely squeezable.
I also like inspiration from the 1930s, longer belts, satin, silhouette modelling. It all builds up my design references.
Ewa Pusz:
On the other hand, someone might say that a woman herself would not allow herself to be „wrapped” in such a way, but the design vision is nevertheless a separate matter.
Łukasz Budzisz:
Exactly. This is simply my aesthetic language.
Client reactions and working with women
[00:24:40] Martyna Sobiecka:
Do you remember what the reception of female clients was when they came into the studio and met the man designing and sewing the lingerie?
Łukasz Budzisz:
To be honest, I've never had a problem with it. I really don't remember any negative reaction.
When the first publications about me appeared, I was more expecting outside comments than difficulties in contacting female clients. And even so, the response was rather kind.
I think professionalism was key. If the client sees distance, competence and respect, then there is no problem.
Ewa Pusz:
Exactly. In this job, it is all about feeling, expertise and the ability to work with people.
Is it possible to become a corset maker or a corsetier today
[00:25:50] Martyna Sobiecka:
And what is it like today with corsetry schools? Is it possible to learn this profession as it used to be?
Ewa Pusz:
There used to be schools, guilds, masters and exams. I myself passed the theory externally and the practical sewing was done at a master in Gdynia.
Masters were needed to conduct the examinations. It was a very different system than today.
Łukasz Budzisz:
I have the impression that the profession in its former form does not actually exist anymore. There are various courses and training, including online, but it is not necessarily the same.
The question is whether, after such a course, one can actually practise the profession commercially from scratch - from die-cut to finished product.
Ewa Pusz:
That's right. Sewing something as a hobby for yourself is one thing, preparing a repeatable, well-performing product for a client is another.
The bra is not a simple product. It cannot be approached in the same way as an ordinary blouse, where something is moved, a frill is sewn on and already a new model is created.
In corsetry, blanks, trims, sewing order and all the little secrets of the workshop are of great importance.
Łukasz Budzisz:
Each factory had its own secrets: how it sewed the bowl, how it finished the tunnel, how it selected the materials, how it constructed the centre. This cannot be summarised in one template.
Ewa Pusz:
Exactly. Even the direction of sewing and the way the pieces were put together made a difference. It was a workshop built by experience.
Previewing past techniques and constructions
[00:30:10] Łukasz Budzisz:
When we travelled around Poland and visited places that were still operating, I always looked primarily at the cut and finish.
Each factory did things a little differently: some designs had darts from the bottom, others were cut across the bowl, others built the centre and support differently.
Ewa Pusz:
There were also the old fastening techniques - for loops, for buttons, for larger, very strong hooks. Today, a young person might even wonder how to fasten it at all.
Łukasz Budzisz:
And yet it all used to work and was very sustainable.
Repairs, alterations and the limits of reasonableness
[00:32:55] Martyna Sobiecka:
Back to the thread of greenwashing and repairs - do you think that repairing and reworking lingerie will become an even stronger trend?
Ewa Pusz:
I'm all for fixing things, but everything must be done within reason.
It's fun to repair, refurbish or rework something, but if you're trying to resuscitate a bra that's really tired, sometimes you just have to say goodbye to it.
Even for your own psychological comfort, it is useful to know when a product has outlived its usefulness.
However, there are repairs that make complete sense: replacing the underwire, adjuster, straps, minor narrowing of the circumference, adjustments after losing weight or damage from careless washing.
There are also times when something is bitten by a dog or a single item is destroyed - and then, of course, it is worth salvaging.
Łukasz Budzisz:
This is also very much in line with a sensible approach to the product. Not everything has to be thrown away straight away, but not everything can be saved either.
Martyna Sobiecka:
This, moreover, is combined with a practical approach to use and care. Many people today are looking for such tips, as well as advice on a good fit of the underwear to the body whether to choose models with modular underwear sets.
Underwear after mastectomy and its psychological significance
[00:34:40] Martyna Sobiecka:
Luke, you've also run workshops for post-mastectomy women who can customise their own underwear. Would you like to develop this further?
Łukasz Budzisz:
Yes, I have a lot of plans in this area, especially when it comes to working with the oncology department.
Such adjustments and alterations are also important because it is a more financially accessible solution. Illness costs money, and being able to adjust your underwear can be a real help.
Ewa Pusz:
But it is not just a question of money. It's also a matter of psychology.
If a woman was healthy, wore beautiful lingerie and then misfortune happens, the first bras after surgery are often not her style at all. This is very difficult for her.
Not only is the illness exhausting, but you have to wear something you don't feel like yourself in. Being able to rework your favourite model and adapt it to your new situation really gives you a lot.
Women feel completely different when they can wear something nice and close to themselves and not just a purely medical thing.
Łukasz Budzisz:
Exactly. After a mastectomy or with a prosthesis, a certain model is sometimes imposed, so if you can help to some extent and make it easier to go through this stage, it is worth doing.
Martyna Sobiecka:
This is a very important topic. Women really need this support and often ask for similar solutions.
End of conversation
[00:38:00] Martyna Sobiecka:
I think we can end today's meeting on that note.
I hope, Luke, that you will tell us soon when you are planning your next workshop. We would love to share such information on our social media.
Thank you very much for an inspiring talk. I hope the listeners had a valuable time with us.
See you next time. Thank you.
Ewa Pusz:
Thank you.
Łukasz Budzisz:
Thank you.
Martyna Sobiecka:
Finally, I encourage you to rate our podcast and to share your thoughts on this episode on Instagram and Facebook. Many thanks for all the reviews.
Summary
This talk shows that corsetry is not only about aesthetics, but also about the history of the craft, technological knowledge, experience of working with the body and a great sense of women's needs. Materials, models and client expectations change, but the foundation of the profession remains the same: precision, responsibility and practice.
The statements by Ewa Pusz and Lukasz Budzisz also demonstrate well that contemporary lingerie can be beautiful, functional and supportive at the same time - especially when it is created or reworked with a specific person and their real needs in mind.
