Not currently on display at the V&A

Kilcardie

Dress Fabric
1957 (designed and made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

In Europe after the Second World War, couturiers used novel lightweight mixes of wool, mohair and nylon for winter coats and dresses. They favoured screen-printed rayons and silks for summer day wear and shot organza for cocktail and evening dresses.

These different colourways of the same textile are from the archive of Zika Ascher, an innovative textile manufacturer who based himself in London after the annexation of Czechoslovakia in 1939. His wife designed textiles and their company became incorporated in 1942 (Ascher Ltd). Ascher developed a range of different fabrics for use at the top end of the market. He used samples such as these to show prospective clients his wares, and as a record of his output.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleKilcardie
Materials and techniques
Woven mohair and nylon
Brief description
Dress fabric of soft light-weight woven mohair and nylon 'Kilcardie', made by Ascher Ltd., Great Britain, 1957
Physical description
Dress fabric of soft light-weight woven mohair and nylon. The weft is made of bouclé yarn which is much finer than the plain warp. The weave is dense and the textile has a firm handle although it is soft. Two different tones are used for the warp and weft, the latter being slightly lighter in colour than the former. The sample has one selvedge.
Production typeMass produced
Marks and inscriptions
Transliteration
.
Credit line
Given by Zika Ascher
Object history
One of 10 samples T.199 to I-1988.
Production
Designed and made for the first time in 1957. It is not known how long this textile was in production.

Attribution note: Ascher made for the top end of the market and his textiles were used for couture and high class ready-to wear garments. They were relatively expensive so probably did not percolate down to the mass market.
Summary
In Europe after the Second World War, couturiers used novel lightweight mixes of wool, mohair and nylon for winter coats and dresses. They favoured screen-printed rayons and silks for summer day wear and shot organza for cocktail and evening dresses.

These different colourways of the same textile are from the archive of Zika Ascher, an innovative textile manufacturer who based himself in London after the annexation of Czechoslovakia in 1939. His wife designed textiles and their company became incorporated in 1942 (Ascher Ltd). Ascher developed a range of different fabrics for use at the top end of the market. He used samples such as these to show prospective clients his wares, and as a record of his output.
Collection
Accession number
T.199I-1988

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Record createdMarch 28, 2011
Record URL
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