Following on the heals of our last post regarding SteamPunk fashions, we figured we’d talk about some of the interesting fashions we’ve seen on the web combining Victorian design with shiny vinyl fabric.
Fashion is a constant evolution, a mixture of cultures, new materials, and modifications to century old designs. Mixing ultra shiny and modern vinyl with Victorian patterns leads to breathe taking fashions.
To the left is an 18th Century Countess gown made from shiny black pvc fabric featuring an under corset, underskirt, overdress, and pocket hoops to hold the dress out on the sides. This was produced by battyazac on Etsy and is described by her:
“The corset is made in the 18th century conical style which gives maximum cleavage, and is fully steel boned. Laces closed up the back, and has straps with adjustable lacing. The underskirt ties closed at the back waistband and is made of yards and yards of pvc fabric. The overdress is poly boned for shape and support, laces closed up the front, has elbow length sleeves with a scalloped flounce lined with black lace, and a mega full skirt. The pocket hoops are made of satin and have hoop boning for shape.”
Another great source of inspiration from a truly amazing designer and business woman are the fashions of Artifice Clothing. It’s great fun to peruse their site and see the cutting edge designs that they implement with vinyl and stretch vinyl fabrics.
They have a line of Victorian inspired vinyl fashions:
Not only has the setting of the outfits brought them to life, but also note the lace gloves, hats, and over the top vinyl boots used with the outfits.
While the dresses themselves come very close to sticking to historical design, a pair of high heeled vinyl boots serves as a distinct element from the 20th century and adds a modern edge.
What stood out most was the mix of authentic elements like scalloped flounces and lace with something as glossy as vinyl. That tension between eras is what makes these designs feel fresh instead of costume-like.
The mention of high heeled vinyl boots as the modern twist really clicked for me. Keeping the dress historically close but adding that bold footwear feels like a deliberate and smart contrast.
That black PVC countess gown description really stuck with me, especially the combination of pocket hoops and a fully steel boned corset. It’s fascinating how the silhouette stays historically accurate while the material completely modernizes it.
The idea of pocket hoops made from satin paired with a PVC overdress is such an unexpected material mix. It highlights how these designs aren’t just about shine but also about structure underneath.
I didn’t expect vinyl to work so well with 18th century shapes, but the conical corset and mega full skirt sound like they translate surprisingly well into PVC. The texture contrast must be striking in person.
That Etsy piece by battyazac sounds incredibly intricate, especially with separate under corset, underskirt, and overdress layers. It’s impressive to see that level of craftsmanship applied to a nontraditional material like PVC.
I appreciate how you pointed out the accessories like lace gloves and hats, since they really sell the Victorian vibe even when the fabric is totally contemporary. Styling seems just as important as construction here.
I like that you framed fashion as an evolution, because this really feels like a natural extension rather than a gimmick. The Victorian base gives the vinyl a sense of purpose instead of just novelty.
Artifice Clothing sounds like a rabbit hole worth going down, especially with their use of stretch vinyl in Victorian silhouettes. I like that you highlighted the styling choices, not just the garments themselves.
The detail about yards and yards of PVC in the underskirt made me imagine how heavy and structured that piece must feel. It’s cool that the construction still mirrors traditional Victorian layering.
Seeing how close these designs stick to historical patterns while swapping in vinyl makes me wonder how they move and sound. That glossy texture must change the whole experience of wearing something so traditionally shaped.
It’s interesting how vinyl, which feels so futuristic, can still respect historical tailoring techniques like boning and lacing. The front-laced overdress detail in particular feels like a nice bridge between eras.
The emphasis on lacing both in the back corset and front overdress adds a nice continuity across the outfit. It’s a reminder that even with modern materials, those classic fastening methods still define the silhouette.
These throwback designs in latex are fabulous !! I wouldnt wear it for halloween–lol thats a bit insulting, really. The original use of the Pannier shown here dates back to the early 17th C, its height was during the life of Marie Antoinette, in about 1766. The drawnup bustle form is also classic rococo; more like 1740-1755, in the “shepherdess” forms popular in Versailles…but worn through out Northern Europe for dancing…..eventually becoming the “overskirt” and bustle, in the Victorian Era of the following century.
Only someone who cant sew would comment that this would be used for Halloween–lol. Making these dresses at all from a pattern is “extremely difficult” ; to make them in latex shows mastry and sophistication.
My regret about these dresses shown is that they dont exhibit any use of lace ornament, which was a staple of the Rococo period. Lace at the elbow, throat, ruching in the overskirt, flounces in the underskirt ; these make the garment more interesting to the eye and more fun to wear.
Love these designs – will have to reconsider my original idea for halloween 🙂