Meet Mads Montagu-Andrews: The Woman Bringing The Bust Back
Interior trends come and go like the changing autumnal wind, but we could put money on the fact that investing in a bust replica of Nefertiti or the Venus de Milo for your hallway isn’t likely to be topping your to-do list for 2025. After all, unless you know your Art Basels from your Friezes and studied Classics at university, it’s fair to say most of us don't know a lot about the lost art of classical limestone, lead or terracotta-shaped sculpture.
But that’s what Studio Bust founder Mads Montagu-Andrews is hoping to change. The Hampshire-based creative launched her company during lockdown after wanting to capture her body during her second pregnancy in an original and timeless way to celebrate the female form in sculpture.
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In a similar way to the rising popularity of Anissa Kermiche’s ‘butt’ and 'love handles' vase, and body candles, Studio Bust’s sculptures are described as ‘modern heirlooms’, made via 3D scanning and printing technology, with age-old casting and hand-finishing techniques to create bespoke busts of clients. Headless, and with the only defining feature being a woman's breasts and stomach, the sculptures' anonymous shapes enable a 'muse' to subtly champion their body in their home, without ever needing to share the model's identity to guests. Genius.
Since its launch, Studio Bust has created busts for women from across the globe at every stage of life, whether it’s for a milestone birthday and a pregnancy or as a way of marking a triumph, such as overcoming breast cancer, or as a means of remembering one’s body at a moment in time.
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As someone who prefers to dress head-to-toe for bed (including socks), I’d never imagined myself stripping off in the nude to have my body transformed into a piece of art. Far from prudish, I’ve simply never felt my body was something worthy of celebration for its appearance, so focussed have I always been on how it performs as a machine. But when I saw several influencers sharing images of their pregnancy busts on Instagram during my pregnancy with my first child, I began to challenge my views of my body. Seeing their figures cast in veined Lapis stone and bronze, I started to develop a deeper appreciation for my changing body and found myself wanting to embrace the beauty of owning such an intimate piece of art that materialises just how special it is to see my breasts and belly evolve during my final trimester.
I booked my appointment with Studio Bust for week 35 of my pregnancy, and met with a member of Montagu-Andrews’ team, who instantly put me at ease with baring all for the scanning process. She talked me through the three most popular poses for the busts, which you can assess during the screen view and selection process of the renders after the handheld 3D scanner is used. Each scan takes from 20-30 seconds and once you make your bust selection, you can expect to receive your sculpture within four months. Far from feeling exposed, I found the process to be one of the most empowering acts I made during my pregnancy, and can't wait to unbox my bust and look at it in admiration during sleep deprivation and night feeds.
We caught up with Mads Montagu-Andrews to find out more about Studio Bust and the growing popularity of capturing the female form as art:
What were your reasons for launching Studio Bust?
‘When I was pregnant with my first daughter, I sat for a drawing. When pregnant with my second child, I wanted to capture my changing form but in a different medium. Inspired by my mother-in-law's beautiful sculpture collection, I was drawn to bronze, but knew we didn't have the space for a life-size cast in our London flat, or the budget to sit with a traditional sculptor. Thus after much research, Studio Bust was born, combining the best of modern technology with age old casting techniques to create bespoke sculptures, scaled to a size that suits our client's homes.’
Why are so many women wanting to create sculptures of their bodies more so now than ever?
‘This is something we often discuss with our clients. I think, like me, many of them have admired sculptures but have not known where to begin in having their own made. I’m so excited that we are making the world of bespoke sculpture more accessible and it’s so exciting be playing our part in the unstoppable movement of female empowerment and body positivity.
‘The majority of our clients choose to have a Bust made for themselves, which I think it such a powerful message to send out to the world that they love and accept who they are. Even those who are gifted the Studio Bust experience, often mention how touched they are their partner or loved one thinks they too are worthy of a Bust - a confidence boost and show of support we all need now and again!
‘Despite the highly personal nature of our work, lots of our clients feel they are more discrete than perhaps a nude/maternity photoshoot and so feel confident having them on display in pride of place in their homes, rather than hidden away in their bedrooms.’
What have been your favourite memories since working with clients for Studio Bust?
‘It’s truly an honour to capture each and every client - they are investing both in themselves and in our work which is something we don’t take for granted. We’ve now had numerous women come to us pre and post surgery for breast cancer, those who’ve been through fertility treatment and disordered eating along with those who might have been divorced, or found new love to name a few. I’m so proud to be creating a space that empowers women to celebrate themselves at whichever stage of life they find themselves in - it’s hugely rewarding.
‘It’s also been so incredible to meet women who might have come in before their wedding come back now they are pregnant, and those who have chosen to celebrate multiple pregnancies with us, it’s so special to play a part in their lives and to think of our objet’s living on for years to come in their homes.
‘Closer to home, I’m so proud to have captured so many of the pivotal women in my life - my mother and mother in law, my sister in law, my closest friends - I’m in awe of them all for being bold, especially as I’m more aware of their individual relationships with their bodies, but seeing them display them with pride means so much.’
What have you learnt about body confidence since launching Studio Bust?
‘That literally everyone has a hang up, no matter their shape or age and that pretty much everyone says the same thing – “why didn’t I appreciate my body when I was X”. It’s a valuable reminder to live life in the moment. Four years in, we’ve had women in their twenties through to their eighties, and there is so much beauty to be found in each and every one. As the mother of three daughters, I love that when my children come to see me in the Studio they see an array of sculptures of women of all shapes and sizes, celebrating themselves and valuing their bodies enough to make them into a piece of art.’
What would you say to women who are intimidated by baring all for art?
‘That it’s actually quite liberating! Our appointments are all hosted by women, in safe, private spaces, designed to put our clients at ease.
‘As women we get somewhat used to being plucked and prodded throughout our lives but our scans are far less invasive than a wax and more similar to a spray tan, but just in more empowering poses. Each pose is only held for 20-30 seconds, and then the digital render is reviewed on screen - so it instantly feels one step removed from say looking at naked photographs. There is always plenty of time to perfect the pose that goes into production and the final product when scaled down and hand finished is not the same at looking in a mirror and over analysing every imperfection. It’s always a joy seeing our clients walking out the door with an air of newfound confidence.
Prices of the busts range from £450 (liberty collection, 15cm) to £3,500 (legacy collection, 30cm) – with options for bespoke sizes too – and you can even invest in a miniature (5cm) version for £750. Find out more about Studio Bust here.
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