This outfit was part of Amalia O’Neil’s 2010 graduation collection Bête Noir. "It represents what black is to me; a shade of elegance, sophistication and domination ...
 In 2010, anything goes in fashion trends; my garments reflect the freedom of the times, and our obsession with bygone fashion eras." The crinoline and corsetry were informed by the structure of Victorian dress, which in turn influenced Dior’s 'New Look' of the 1950s with the fullness of a hooped skirt and constricted waist. The intricate leather corset contains 50
 pieces of boning. It represents the tension in contemporary fashion where the dress code is no longer clear cut – lingerie worn as outerwear, constriction as a matter of personal choice.