Fashion Design
Fashion Design
1980s-92 (made)
1980s-92 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Ian Thomas is most well known for having been the Queen’s dress designer for over 20 years until his early death in 1992. Born in Oxford in 1929, he went onto study fashion at Oxford College of Art. On graduating in 1952, he worked as an assistant designer to Norman Hartnell, where he worked on Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation robes.
After 17 years working for Hartnell, Thomas opened his own couture business in Lowndes Street, Belgravia, in 1969. Under his own label he dressed many members of the royal family, notably making day and evening clothes for the Queen. Thomas was awarded a Royal Warrant as dressmaker in 1973. His success, according to The Independent lay in the fact that the Queen and ‘many members of society appreciated the restrained and understated elegance of his clothes.’
After 17 years working for Hartnell, Thomas opened his own couture business in Lowndes Street, Belgravia, in 1969. Under his own label he dressed many members of the royal family, notably making day and evening clothes for the Queen. Thomas was awarded a Royal Warrant as dressmaker in 1973. His success, according to The Independent lay in the fact that the Queen and ‘many members of society appreciated the restrained and understated elegance of his clothes.’
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Fashion Design (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Drawn in pencil and ink then coloured in gouache, notes written in ink, fabric samples paper cliped to the corner of the page. |
| Brief description | Ian Thomas; fashion design, 1980s-92 |
| Physical description | Image of a woman wearing a skirt suit and blouse designed by Ian Thomas. The central figure of a woman wears a blue suit jacket with a blue and white pinstripe trim on the collar, cuff and pockets, the skirt is in the same hue but plain, the blouse is the same white and blue pinstripe of the jackets trim with a plain white hat. A smaller sketch in the lower right hand corner shows the blouse of the outfit only with a belt and bow in the same material knotted at the waist. Samples of both the plain blue material and the striped are paper cliped to the upper left hand corner of the design. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Production type | Design |
| Credit line | Given in memory of Mr Ian Thomas by his executors |
| Summary | Ian Thomas is most well known for having been the Queen’s dress designer for over 20 years until his early death in 1992. Born in Oxford in 1929, he went onto study fashion at Oxford College of Art. On graduating in 1952, he worked as an assistant designer to Norman Hartnell, where he worked on Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation robes. After 17 years working for Hartnell, Thomas opened his own couture business in Lowndes Street, Belgravia, in 1969. Under his own label he dressed many members of the royal family, notably making day and evening clothes for the Queen. Thomas was awarded a Royal Warrant as dressmaker in 1973. His success, according to The Independent lay in the fact that the Queen and ‘many members of society appreciated the restrained and understated elegance of his clothes.’ |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | E.2864-2016 |
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| Record created | November 15, 2016 |
| Record URL |
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