ROMANTASY Corsets - True Grace Corsets

Ann is wearing a Lily Corset made by
Mr. Michael Garrod.
Mr. Garrod wears a red satin corset cummerbund.

In Memoriam

With much affection, admiration, and respect, ROMANTASY acknowledges the beginning of a new passage and soul's adventure for our beloved and distinguished corset maker, Michael P. Garrod, deceased on Saturday, July 12, 2003 in Wokingham, England. A kinder heart never existed. His artistic talent will also be remembered for years to come in the wonders of his elegant corset creations for clients around the world.

His spirit lives on in these words of comfort from around the world.

Pandora wears Mr. Garrod's glamorous gold brocade overbust Lily Corset.

We regret to inform our clients that Mr. Garrod has closed his business and retired effective January, 2003. In honor of the many years of his cooperation with and kind assistance to ROMANTASY, and as a testament to our personal friendship and continuing respect, we will maintain the True Grace web page so that you may continue visually to enjoy his creative designs. For those of you who own a True Grace corset, you certainly own a treasure. Value it, take good care of it, and wear it with love for one of the world's best corset makers!

DEDICATION OF ROMANTASY'S BOOK: CORSET MAGIC: A Fun Guide to Trim Your Waist and Figure

This book is dedicated to Michael P. Garrod (April 18, 1928—July 12, 2003), principal of the True Grace Corset Company in London, who, during his distinguished twenty-one-year career as a corsetier, never allowed a well-justified artistic ego to get in the way of his love for the corset. He selflessly shared his considerable talents and knowledge with each inquiring corset maker who was just beginning the journey of learning one of the fashion world’s most ancient of crafts. He unselfishly supported corset purveyors and enthusiasts who promote the art and craft of corset making. His lovely corsets live on to perpetuate elegance and beauty in comportment and dressing.

This English company was started in 1982 by multi-talented Michael Garrod (pictured left with Ann). Michael was an accomplished glider pilot as well as corsetier, whose elegant productions are worn around the world. He rarely advertised his services except by word of mouth and by satisfied customers. He took only limited special orders, and was known for his often astoundingly unique corsets, including one corset that took over six hours to set up and complete a fan lacing!

This company worked with unique fabrics such as rubber (only style numbers 2 and 3 below) and offered various styles including a leg corset, corset dress, and long-line corset.

Pandora models Mr. Garrod's Butterfly Trainer Corset dress at the Bal de Gracieuses, 1999. Mr. Garrod wears a matching blue corset cummerbund.

Overbust gold brocade Lily.

Available Styles

TGC Corselette
This is a strong, well-boned corselette with 11" front busk and hook and eye above and below the busk. It has back lacing and elastic gores lower front and top back with elastic side panels. The shoulder straps are adjustable. The center front can be up to 26" long. If a customer supplies a personal bra it can be fitted into the garment.

Rubber Corset
This is constructed in 1.5 mm thick rubber with fabric front, side and back seams, using flat steel stays at the back and comfortable spiral stays in the sides. There is a double front panel for extra control and the corset is fully taped to accentuate the waistline. It comes only in cream, red or black rubber.

Ashley models red rubber corset; photo by Jeanette Vonier.

Leg Corset
This corset comes just under the chest to knee length with front busk, and back and inner thigh lacings. Spiral boning is used full length for comfort. Garter straps are optional. Elastic gussets can be fitted.

Front view of Leg Corset in pink satin.

"Lily" Corset
This is a two-fluted hipped corset coming just under the bust. It accentuates the waist. This is a lined corset.

"Longline Lily" Corset
Longline Lily in green shot silk, blue satin, and brocade with row of detachable peacock feathers.
Ann modeling her spring Longline "Lily" corset at San Francisco Bridal Faire.
A variation of the Longline Lilycorset in purple and black brocade.

1844 Corset
This corset gives a smooth but not sharply defined waist profile. It is designed to fit over the bust and down to the hips, with a 13" busk with hook and eye above. It has back lacing and is lined.

1901 Corset
This is a very strong corset with a front 13" busk and underbusk. It fits partly over the bust and long over the hips. Flutes can be added. It is lined.

Ann's specially designed 1901 with lace overlay.
Pretzel modelling her 1901.

Training Corset Dress
This is a very long corset (typically up to 28") with front busk and underbusk, back and front lacing. Hooks and eyes can be added below the busk. Garters are optional. This corset can be made in rubber and is lined.

1912S Corsets
Long-fitting corset with smooth profile. Not an hourglass corset. Front busk, hook and eye beneath, back lacing (front busk, front lacing, closed back version available), elastic gussets (optional). Suitable for hip spring up to 15" (difference between normal waist and hip measurement). Shoulder braces may be fitted. Fan lacing is available for $75 additional.

1776 Corset
This corset can be worn much like a vest or tank top because it has shoulder straps and covers the bust a la "Dangerous Liasons" style. It provides a very flat vertical profile, pushing the bust upwards. The style perhaps shows best on customers with a B-cup or larger. May be made long-line or with a pointed front.

Jill and Stefano as Marie Antoinette and "Paramour"; photo by Jeanette Vonier for
ROMANTASY's corset catalog.
Emma models Mr. Garrod's newest style.

Catwoman Corset
Perhaps inspired by its namesake, this overbust corset is spectacular when rendered in PVC with stay pockets lined with same or contrasting color satin trim.

BASIC CORSET STYLES:

All of Mr. Garrod's corsets were constructed in cotton-backed satin unless otherwise indicated. They were fully lined in cotton twill, or alternatively when requested, in satin, are flat or spiral boned, were typically grommeted in brass, and unless style indicated otherwise, were laced in back with sturdy lacing and included a front busk and 1" underbusk. Clients could request a wide or standard front busk width. Corsets came with a boned back lacing protector and included three detachable simple garters (without ribbons) per leg. Customer fabric could be provided with advance approval but Mr. Garrod's English fabrics could rarely be paralled in terms of quality and durability. Additional fees for customer fabric might have been necessary for extra lining or interfacing, or other. Lightweight materials such as silk and nylon were rarely satisfactory, and Mr. Garrod was a stickler for quality plus comfort in his elegant creations. Anyone who owns a True Grace corset truly owns a treasure!