Carine Gilson Dresses: Lace Incrustation on Silk Satin

Carine Gilson's dresses are the clearest expression of her whole idea of couture lingerie. After studying fashion at Antwerp's Royal Academy of Fine Arts, she discovered Maille France, a small Brussels atelier that made fine ladies' underslips, bought it in her twenties, and built her label around silk, lace and small-scale handwork. Every piece since has been made by hand in that Brussels atelier, and her signature technique, setting lace directly into silk rather than just trimming an edge, still defines the dresses here. If you want to keep going, Lingerie Worth Layering: Lace, Satin and Silk Under a Blazer is the one I would read next.

These slips move between a formal nightdress and a dress that happens to know how to be quiet. The lace-trimmed silk-satin maxi dress and the lace-embroidered silk midi dress let a single lace panel or hem carry the whole look, so the silk itself has to do the rest of the work. Wear one alone for the evening, or under a plain coat for something less literal. I also put together Silk and Lace Tops and Dresses: Scalloped Edges and Pretty Trims.

The robe is where Gilson's references become most visible. She has cited the influence of deshabille rituals, Art Deco and the kimono, and those touches still sit inside the lace embroidery and belted shapes here. The belted lace-embroidered silk-satin robe reads more structured, while the lace-appliqué robe keeps the silhouette softer and more fluid. The belted embroidered silk-satin kimono is the most literal nod to that reference and still reads modern in plain silk. Wear one over a slip, or over an otherwise plain outfit, when the entrance should do some of the work.

The separates are the practical part of the fantasy, though practical is a relative term here. Camisoles, skirts and shorts let the silk and the house's lace incrustation be combined rather than preserved as a single precious set. The lace-trimmed silk-satin camisole works under a blazer as easily as it does alone, and the straight lace midi skirt takes the same idea into daywear. Everything is still made by hand in the Brussels atelier, so these are pieces to wear often but keep away from the rough edges of ordinary laundry, the combination of daily use and careful handling that makes separates worth buying over a set. I went deeper on a related idea in AFLALO Dresses: Plissé Satin Maxis and Silk Midi Skirts.

Carine Gilson is for someone who enjoys the ritual as much as the reveal, and the delicate materials make this a considered purchase rather than a drawer filler. The most convincing pieces are the ones that work in more than one setting: a slip that doubles as a dress, a robe that goes over jeans, a camisole that goes under a blazer. The dresses carry the most obvious glamour, but the separates are where the atelier's handwork actually earns its keep day to day. Buying into the whole story at once is not necessary, and it is not really how this lingerie was meant to be worn. Start with a slip or a camisole and let the rest of the wardrobe earn its way in slowly.