Suffering for the love of corsets

Vogue Italia knows how to provoke. This time the September shoot is intended to raise questions and generate interest. And it works. Featuring Stella Tennant, the styling is an ode to Ethel Granger, a lover of corsets and facial piercings who tightened her midriff into epically tiny proportions. Granger, who lived from 1905-1982, holds the Guinness world record for smallest modified waist, clocking in at just 13-inches. Stella's corset was made by Deborah Milner, although it seems like a dose of digital modification went into making Stella's waist so miniscule. View the full shoot by clicking on the thumbnails below.