Costume from Saraband for Dead Lovers, 1948.

Saraband for Dead Lovers (1948) is a historical romance starring Joan Greenwood and Stewart Granger. It was produced by Ealing Studios, known for its comedies, and was an attempt to challenge the rival company, Gainborough, which produced the most popular historical dramas of the era. Anthony Mendleson designed the costumes. Mendleson was the designer in residence at Ealing Studios and created memorable costumes for the studios greatest hits including Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949), The Lavender Hill Mob (1951) and The Man in the White Suit (1951).

The British Film Institute (BFI) acquired its costume collection for display at the Museum of the Moving Image, which existed on the South Bank in London between 1988 and 1999. The collection is made up of British, European, American and Japanese films and covers the period from the silent film era to the mid-1990s. It contains a wealth of historic and significant film costumes worn by major performers and designed by some of the 20th century’s most important film costume designers. The collection was transferred to the V&A in 2015.