[3] While attending the 1989 Love Ball in New York City as a human bustle to Bowery's costume, Pearl was introduced to the designer Thierry Mugler.
[3] Pearl subsequently went on to collaborate with others, including regularly returning to London to work with John Galliano, Vivienne Westwood, and Alexander McQueen.
[3] Pearl met McQueen in 1995, and was asked to walk in the designer's 1995 Spring-Summer collection, The Birds, his only catwalk modelling role.
The jewelled corset was widely reported in the UK tabloid media at the time as having a 16-inch (410 mm) waist, although these claims were exaggerated and Minogue herself disclaimed them.
[11] Pearl eventually settled in Paris full-time, where he works on a made-to-order basis for private clients such as Dita Von Teese.
[3] Other commentators have noted that Pearl, as a highly private, publicity-shy individual, uses corsets and tight-lacing to embody his true self and personal identity, rather than imposing his theories and appearance on others for publicity and self-promotion purposes.