Chloé Rogers just dropped her first-ever lingerie collection, and it’s a feast for the eyes.
Inspired by the names and surnames of her grandmothers, Scarlett and Gasque, the Canadian-born, London-based designer sought to create a line of luxury lingerie that represents a fusion of her family history while also spotlighting her longtime interest in Burlesque and the art of fine corsetry.
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“I have always loved corsetry, but something I noticed was that traditional corsetry is quite niche,” says Rogers. Throughout the years, Rogers would purchase handmade pieces from vendors like Etsy and Depop, but always had trouble finding ready-to-wear items of the same quality from bigger labels that ship quickly. “I wanted to create traditional corsetry for women that was fashionable, on-trend, and was easy to purchase.”
After almost three years of planning, Scarlett Gasque was born: a luxury lingerie line meant to be worn out and showcased rather than hidden away. “A lot of people don’t want to spend 500 [dollars] on a set that no one is going to see. They want to spend that kind of money on a birthday dress, something that they can wear out and show off,” she says. “You can show your friends your corset, dress it up with jeans or a little skirt. But then at night, when you take off your jeans, you’re already in a full set.”
Below, FASHION chatted with Rogers about Dita Von Teese, corsets and her love of burlesque.
What’s behind the name Scarlett Gasque?
“Scarlett was my great grandmother on my mother’s side, and Gasque the last name of my great grandmother on my father’s side. My great-great grandmother Maude Gasque and her daughter, Maisie, are both women that I really looked up to. I had the pleasure of knowing Scarlett until I was 14 years old. I never got to meet Maisie, but I’ve heard so many stories about her.”
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What led to your interest in lingerie?
“Growing up, I was very inspired by burlesque dancers and women like Dita Von Teese. I attended Central Saint Martins in London and studied fashion history and theory. I loved Edwardian courses and Victorian style, and something I was always drawn to was the perfect silhouette, whether it was through dresses or pants. But I always came back to corsetry. And that’s where I found my passion.”
What kinds of things do you do outside of the business to keep you inspired?
“I go to so many burlesque shows. Any show I can find, anything underground. I love exploring London and Paris. I’ve been to southern Spain, Los Angeles, Miami, places like that. The burlesque industry is a lot smaller than it used to be, so it’s really cool to find creators and people who are passionate about it and talk to them.”
Do you feel like the aesthetic of the brand matches your personal style? What’s different? What’s the same?
“I would actually say they’re literally the exact same. People come over to my house, and all the colours of my house are the colours of the brand. Everything in my house is yellow, pink and blue! My style is also very vintage, very luxury, but I like to experiment. I really love finding new creators instead of only looking at big designers. Many of the corsets I wear when I go out are from Etsy. A seller I always go back to is La Belle. She hand-makes all her pieces, and they’re very traditional. And that’s what I like wearing, the really traditional pieces. Nothing with a zipper, all real metal hardware.”
What are some of your favourite pieces from the collection?
“My favourite piece has to be the blue Scarlett set, which includes the Arctic Queen dressing robe with the matching bra, underwear and Scarlett waspie.”
How about in your own closet? Do you have a favourite item?
“One item that stands out to me is a corset gifted to me by my mom, one that she used to wear all the time. It’s not a fancy corset, more like shapewear. It’s a bit ruined, but it has a lot of history behind it. My mom wore it for 15 years, and when I wear it, it makes me feel good.”
Can you tease anything about the upcoming fall collection?
“Our fall collection is going to come out at the end of September. Everything is still going to be colourful, but I’ll say the next collection is more sexy, and it’s a little darker. Something I’m excited about is that we have beautiful raised handmade embroidery on some of our corsets, which adds a lot of texture.”
Finally, if you could describe the brand in one word, what would it be?
“Playful!”
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