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 staped to upper left hand corner of the design. |
| Brief description | Ian Thomas; fashion design, 1980s-92 |
| Physical description | Image of a woman wearing a dress and jacket of blue and gold designed by Ian Thomas. The dress is fitted around the bodice with elbow length sleeves, appearing to be in a gold and blue floral brocade, the skirt of the dress is gathered at flows from the bottom of the bodice at the hip. The dress is shown without jacket in the lower right hand corner of the design, the main design shows the jacket which is in the same material as the bodice and with 'mutton leg' sleeves. 2 Fabric swatched are attached to upper right hand corner of the design. |
| Dimensions |
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| Style | |
| Production type | Design |
| Marks and inscriptions | Sketch 26 |
| 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.2874-2016 |
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| Record created | November 15, 2016 |
| Record URL |
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