Thursday 10 September 2015

Metal Guru

Jon Harris has made quite a name for himself in his hometown of Oxford with his amazing copper corsets over the last few years. His designs were undeniably the highlight of the lingerie show at Oxford Fashion Week 2014. 

The most intriguing aspect of Jon is that he leads a double life. Handy man by day and couture designer night. He is worlds away from what is expected of a designer and yet he creates show stopping designs, exceeding all expectations.

Something so creative must mean that Jon had a background in fashion, but no he trained as an apprentice making prototype cars using old style metal shaping techniques. Soon after a job in the Formula One industry, working with carbon fibre materials. Later moved within the company working with the mechanical and hydraulic systems. 17 years later and having little time to himself he decided to change professions.

It started when he was helping a friend change his water tank. He said to Jon, “you may as well have this and make something”. Because of his fabrication skills, he thought of many things, but decided on something which would be a bit different and push some boundaries in fabrication. Working with a friend who was a model, she agreed to get involved in the process and that’s how it all started it off.

The lengthy production process starts with taking a body cast, to produce a torso pattern, then he sets about deciding upon the intricacies of the design. Each design is unique to the models body shape and he also takes into consideration the personality of the model. Then it’s a matter of where joints, fixings and extra curves are to be placed. All the parts are shaped by hand. They are test fitted on the pattern and joined prior to first fitting on the model. Everything is checked and the main parts finished off, the inside is lined and then it’s polished. It’s a time consuming process, but ensures a perfect skin-tight contoured fit. As a cast is made of the models body; the corset, although rigid, is relatively comfortable.

Every design is different, as every person is different, and each piece is a one-off. Jon will have concept in his head for a design. This is unique, as each model is different; a different waist profile, body length or bust size, plus no one is symmetrical. That’s where the engineering and fabrification skills made Jon the perfect designer to work in the amazing medium…copper!

Jon is organised and a perfectionist. He doesn’t relax until he gets the results he want. That’s what makes him different as he produces such amazing ‘polished’ work. Jon is not just a designer but an artist too, as these corset are truly - works of art. 

No website. Photo credit and review here.








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