You might not expect to find a corsetiere squeezed between a tattoo parlour and an Indian takeaway opposite Ormond station, but here it is. Marquis de Sade is part costume shop, part fetish parlour, with a dash of Moulin Rouge, and more than a pinch of Fifty Shades of Grey. It's a lifelong passion for owner Marie Delon, who has been sewing strongly boned, brightly hued corsets and other gear in leather, lace and satin for more than two decades. Her shiny new salon with glittering chandelier and silk-swathed  ceiling is big enough for two studios out the back, where everything from busty bridal get-ups to risque leather capes are handmade.  It takes adult clothing out of the fluoro-lit adult shop into slightly more salubrious surrounds. Delon reports that some women are moved to tears when they drop two dress sizes after being roped into a corset. "It's so empowering, they love having a waist and rocking an hourglass figure for the first time," she says. They are also willing to pay; corset  are priced between $200 and $650.

562 North Road, Ormond, 03 9578 4417. Open Tuesday-Friday, 9am-5.30pm, Saturday 10am-2pm. marquisdesade.com.au