Stella Tennant by Steven Meisel for Vogue Italia September 2011.

The Look: An intense Stella Tennant interprets Ethel Granger on the cover of the new Vogue Italia.
Ethel (1905-1982) had a record waist measure of thirty-three centimeters!
She did it all (including the piercings) to indulge her husband’s “particular” tastes..

The great thing about Vogue Italia is that there is always a story, meaning behind each cover.

Stella is wearing a gabardine nattée single-breasted coat with contrasting collar by Prada and a corset by Deborah Milner.

The truly beautiful, high fashion image is inspired by Ethel Granger (1905-1982) who tightened herself into corsets to please her husband.

Ethel is described as a revolutionary women, who enjoyed indulging her husband’s tastes, including piercings along with her record-smashing 33 centimeters of waist.