Poinsettia
Dress
1953 (Made)
1953 (Made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Red lace ballgown with chenille embroidery and layered tulle underskirts in red and pink.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Poinsettia (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | Lace embroidered with chenille |
| Brief description | Red lace ballgown with chenille embroidery and multiple tulle underskirts in shades of red and pink. |
| Physical description | Red lace ballgown with chenille embroidery and layered tulle underskirts in red and pink. |
| Production type | Haute couture |
| Credit line | Gift of the Viscountess Norwich |
| Object history | The dress was worn by Lady Alice Makins (nee Brooks Davis) wife of Sir Roger Makins the British Ambassador in Washington 1953 to 1956. She ordered a number of dresses to wear when her husband was appointed ambassador. Born and raised in the US, Lady Makins liked to purchase her summer clothing in the US and her winter clothing in Britain. This dress was designed by Angele Delanghe a London-based designer who had a salon in Fortnum and Mason at the time. The dress model was titled 'Poinsettia'. Lady Makins requested straps to be fitted to the original strapless bodice, this may have been a practical consideration in light of the fact that she and her husband were known for their love of dancing. The dress was inherited by her daughter Mary, the Viscountess Norwich who donated it to the museum. The dress featured in an editorial in March 2013 Harpers Bazaar (British version) shot by photographer Cathleen Naundorf. |
| Production | A version of this dress was also produced for Lady Alice Egerton, Lady in Waiting to the Queen. Lady Egerton ordered it to wear whilst accompanying the Queen on her tour of Australia. This dress was reported on in the Australian Sunday Herald on 13 Sept 1953. |
| Associations | |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.13-2013 |
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| Record created | February 26, 2013 |
| Record URL |
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