This wardrobe was designed by Ambrose Heal (1872-1959, OBE 1933) and made by Heal and Son in 1931. It is part of a suite of bedroom furniture made for the writer Dodie Smith for her flat in Dorset Square, London.

Before finding success as a writer Dodie first tried her hand at acting, but found little success. She then joined Heal and Son in 1923 where she was responsible for buying and selling toys, prints and decorative goods in the 'Little Gallery'. Smith worked at Heal's until 1932 and it was during this time that she wrote her first play, 'Autumn Crocus'. It was staged in 1931 at the Lyric Theatre, London and its success led her to take and furnish a flat in Dorset Square. Heal's offered to provide all the furniture at cost price but the playwright had something very particular in mind for her bedroom. Having a dislike for conventional wardrobes and chests-of-drawers she suggested purchasing the furniture for that room at Italia House instead. However, Sir Ambrose was horrified at this idea which would have meant buying reproduction furniture, and so he offered to design a suite exactly to her liking.

The decor of the bedroom at Dorset Square was cream and gold, so the bedroom furniture was painted cream and incised with gold lines to match this. Other pieces in the same suite include another wardrobe, a bedhead and a dressing table with stool. In 1934 Smith left the flat in Dorset Square and found that the furniture did not suit her next or subsequent homes. From this point onwards the suite was alternately loaned out or kept in store until 1981 when it was acquired by the V&A.