Physical description
Purple lace evening dress, silk petticoat and velvet sash.
[Evening dress] Sleeveless evening dress in lilac machine-made lace with a low round neck. Full-length skirt with a second layer top layer attached at the waist, falling approximately mid-way, curving round the sides and down at the back into a slight train just below the hemline. The hem is slightly raised at the front. Centre back zip fastener.
[Petticoat] Associated petticoat with a corset bodice. Full-length in pink silk. Attached bodice is boned, strapless, and lined in white cotton with a centre back hook fastening. The front has two layers of net, and the back is made up five graduating lengths of pale lilac net attached to the pink lining, with a half-loop midway. The layers of net are stiffened with a band of plastic net, and stitched to the waistline is a small layer of gathered nylon material. Hem of lining is wired.
[Sash] Sash in lilac velvet tied in a big bow, and with three hook fastenings.
Place of Origin
Paris, France (made)
Date
1957 (made)
Artist/maker
Jacques Fath, born 1912 - died 1954 (designer)
Materials and Techniques
Machine-made lace, silk lined with cotton, boned, net, plastic and nylon, and velvet
Dimensions
Circumference: 84 cm bust, Circumference: 58 cm waist, Length: 104 cm skirt front, Length: 125 cm skirt back
Object history note
Cynthia Jebb (Lady Gladwyn) was the wife of the British Ambassador to Paris, Sir Gladwyn Jebb, 1954-60. She hosted the state visit of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip, April 8-11th 1957.
This dress was worn on the last evening of the state visit, Wednesday 10 April, to dinner in the Salle des Caryatides of the Louvre palace. “Tremendous trouble had been taken; statues moved, velvet curtains hung over the windows, small orchestra in the gallery” - The Diaries of Cynthia Gladwyn, p.211. She wore it with her 'Aunt Amie's wreath' - a wreath-like tiara worn forwards.
During the state visit, Mme. Dufy - Lady Gladwyn's vendeuse at Fath - attended her at the Embassy to dress her. On the first evening she wore a lime coloured satin gown, and on the second she wore a white tulle gown with red velvet bows on the back. The latter dress was sketched by Cecil Beaton who was also attending: "...at half past one Cecil Beaton was stilll sketching Diana Copper and Anne Nrowich in the Ionian Room. He then wanted to do me, but I aws too sleepy, and after a few minutes posing, went to bed" -The Diaries of Cynthia Gladwyn, p.210.
Cecil Beaton collected several of the dresses worn during the events of this particular state visit – the Queen’s dress, T.264-1974; Diana Cooper’s dress, T.50-1974; and the Baroness Alain de Rothschild’s dress, T.121-1974.
Descriptive line
Lace evening dress, silk petticoat and velvet sash, designed by Jacques Fath, Paris, 1957
Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)
Jebb, M., ed., The Diaries of Cynthia Gladwyn (London, 1995), pp.205-213.
Account of the Queen's visit to Paris, including comments about Hartnell and Fath.
Jebb, M., ed., The Diaries of Cynthia Gladwyn (London, 1995)
Image of Cynthia Gladwyn wearing this dress
Vickers, H., 'Cecil Beaton' in Wilcox, C., ed., The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947-57 (V&A Publications, London), p.165 & pl.7.9.
Her Majesty The Queen donated a 1965 Hardy Amies day ensemble and, to avoid causing ruptures in the world of couture, the Norman Hartnell dress from the April 1957 state visit to Paris, at which Beaton had been a guest. (pl.7.8). He had been invited by Lady Jebb (later Lady Gladwyn), wife of the British Ambassador in Paris, to sketch the return state banquet at which the queen had entertained president René Coty at the British Embassy in Paris. At the time, he had written to his hostess, saying 'The Queen triumphed over Hartnell's bad taste'. Despite this, he was delighted to accept the ivory satin evening dress, encrusted with beads, brilliants and gold. Beaton succeeded in acquiring several other dresses worn during the same visit. Lady Gladwyn donated the lilac lace evening dress [T.173-1974] by French designer, Jacques Fath. Lady Diana Cooper, Lady Gladwyn's (and Beaton's) great friend, donated a strapless Balmain gown of appliqué printed silk satin [T.50-1974]. Baroness Alain de Rothschild (Mary Chauvin de Treuil), the wife of one of the Rothschild banking brothers, gave a white spotted tulle dress by Dior [T.121-1974] (all pl.7.9).
Sir & Lady Gladwyn Arrive For State Dinner [at the Opera on the first night?]. Photo by Pierre Boulat/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images. Image #: 53317202
Sir & Lady Gladwyn Arrive For State Dinner
British diplomat Sir Gladwyn Jebb (1900 - 1996) (centre), Britain's Ambassador to France and former first Acting United Nations Secretary-General, and his wife Lady Cynthia Gladwyn (1898 - 1990) arrive for a state dinner during visit by Queen Elizabeth II, Paris, France, April 1957.
Exhibition History
Fashion: an anthology by Cecil Beaton (Victoria and Albert Museum 01/01/1972-31/12/1972)
Associated names
Cecil Beaton; Elizabeth II (Queen of Great Britain); Diana Cooper
Production Note
House of Fath
Materials
Silk; Velvet; Lace; Net
Categories
Fashion; Evening wear; Formal wear; Lace; Women's clothes
Production Type
Haute couture
Collection code
T&F
