"There is no such thing as bad publicity except your own obituary." - Brendan Behan
In the spirit of this quote, I'd love to share with you all a bad review of SugarKitty recently posted on YouTube. I welcome any and all constructive criticism of my work, afterall, the only way to get better is to learn from your mistakes and to make a success out of your failures. And hey, even if someone has something crappy to say, they’re still saying it about ME!
I’m particularly amused by this review, as it was written about a 4-5 year old sample corset by a lovely lady who is now the third owner of it (meaning, it was used when I posted it on Etsy, someone purchased it from Etsy, and then it was resold again). You can see the original Etsy listing for it here: https://www.etsy.com/transaction/103793131 and the review here: http://youtu.be/IghRxbz0aWM
What’s a sample corset, SugarKitty? A sample corset is one that was made for either a photoshoot, fashion show, or some other such occasion where it’s to be lent out to others. It could also be a protoype, wherein I’m working on new design ideas, using experimental techniques & materials, some of which make it into production, some don’t.
A sample corset is sub-standard for many reasons, least of which, the fact that it’s been worn by one or more people and is already partially or fully broken in. Samples are usually made under extremely short deadlines, so they’re rushed. They’re made either in standard sizes, or semi-custom for the model who’ll be wearing it, but overall not a lot of time is spent patterning it. Because of being rushed, I’ll cut a lot of corners to save time. Afterall, it’s not being made for a client, I’m not getting paid for it, and it only needs to look pretty for the camera.
What kind of corners do you cut? It just depends. I’ll usually omit a waist tape to save time. Tiny things, like sloppy stitches, imperfect seams, glue spots, etc., will be overlooked. I’ll use whatever materials I have on hand to get it done, even if that means using things I normally wouldn’t. And NO - I never ever ever use plastic boning. EVER. Even garments like bustiers and corset-style tops are boned with steel. The only item I make that uses plastic boning are neck corsets, because they are decorative and do not require steels.
Gee, SugarKitty, why would you even bother to sell a sample corset if it’s not up to your normal standards? I’m beginning to ask myself the same question! Seriously, though, I make samples knowing that I won’t be able to sell them at full retail value, but hoping they still might be able to find a home. Some samples never make it to Etsy or my website - if they’re not broken in, I’ll cut them apart and re-use the innards for another sample. Some of them sit and rot away in my studio for years.
When I do sell them, they are listed as used samples, with full disclosure that they might have flaws or imperfections. Oh, and I sell them at a hugely discounted rate, usually at a loss to myself.
What’s wrong with a corset that’s 4-5 years old? There’s nothing wrong with it, per se, but a corset that old is by no means representative of SugarKitty’s current work. In the years since this particular corset was created, I’ve made approximately 200 corsets. By default, my skills have improved vastly. I’ve evolved as a designer, a corset maker, and a seamstress. If you were to order this same corset today, it would be constructed in a completely different (better) way.
Even if this corset had been made up to my (then) standards, it wouldn’t come close to the standards I hold myself to today. I cringe at the flaws & construction errors I see, but as I said before, I use my mistakes as a springboard to improve. Fortunately, someone took the time to bring attention to those mistakes and put them on display for the entire world! Hopefully everyone will judge me on work I did half a decade ago!
So, this person knowingly bought an older, used corset for $60 and still decided to ‘review’ it and rip it apart? Huh? Yup! Hence the reason I find it so amusing. By her own admission, she’s not reviewed any corset that was custom made for her. Not sure how she’s qualified as a reviewer, but hey, everyone is an expert on the internet!
I don’t understand why anyone would review any used/sample/prototype garment, especially something as custom as a corset. That’s like buying a 1998 Chevy Malibu that was used as rental fleet for $1000, and then writing a review about it, telling people it’s not worth the purchase price of a brand new 2013 model.
In summation, if you see a SugarKitty sample corset for sale, be certain you don’t pay full price for it, because it’s not worth it. Oh, and make sure you disregard the disclaimers that it’s used, may have flaws & imperfections. Also, when purchasing said item at a fraction of what it would cost you to have it custom made, please do so with the expectation that you’ll be receiving a fully custom, perfectly constructed corset. Then, compose a review about how terrible my work is; I love the attention! Better yet, you shouldn’t buy anything from me at all. My work is sub-par, and you’ll only be wasting your money.
