DIY Weekly - Markus Lupfer Inspired Leather Corset Top

As I mentioned before I went away to Rome, I was recently inspired to make myself a Markus Lupfer corset style top. I have loved these tops for a while but I have been unable to part with the hundred odd quid they cost, particularly when they seemed so DIYable. Here's one of the real thing:

What you need:
Leather (I used one leg left over from a pair of leather trousers that I had cut into shorts), some fabric to make the template of the corset from, a shirt or knit (I used an oversized grey knit that was collecting dust at home), some glue, some scalloped lace trim and a needle and thread.
Here's how to do it:
1. First I made the template for the corset from a scrap of white fabric, as I didn't want to start cutting into the leather unless I was sure about the shape of the corset. It took a few tries to sketch out the corset, holding it in front of a mirror and making sure the fit was right. It wasn't easy to get the dimensions right. I then cut the template out and double checked it on my body, making slight adjustments here and there.
2. I then laid the template over the leather and traced around it onto the leather. I made sure to line up the leg seam on the leather so that it would sit properly when the leather was cut out. The seam actually created a nice detail on the leather.
3. I cut the leather corset out.
4. I then glued the leather corset onto the knit, checking first and marking with chalk the right placement of the corset on the knit. I would recommend sewing the leather on if you have a sewing machine as that would create a more finished look.
5. After the glue had dried, I pinned and sewed the lace trim at along the bottom of the leather.
Done! Next time I will use a tee, and make the leather insert section a little bit smaller.