Evening dress made of embroidered silk satin, designed by Victor Stiebel, London, late 1950s

Evening dress made from cream silk satin. The bodice has a heart shaped neckline and is embroidered with scalloped rhinestone motifs at the top and 'comma' metal motifs with rhinestones arranged to thin out towards the bottom of the bodice interspersed with florets in pearlised beads, rhinestones and silver beads. From the bottom of the bodice a 'peplum' is draped upon the left hip, and the very full flaring skirt is caught over it. The dress is mounted on a white silk slip, the bodice is boned and padded. There is a white grosgrain waist band with tapes for hanging. To support the skirt there are tulle petticoats. The outermost has a double layer of soft tulle coming from the hips, below this, in stiffer tulle, four graduated double frills from hips to hem (the topmost is stiffer than the others) and below this a very full tulle skirt. The dress fastens at the back with a white metal zip, a plaquet with snap fasteners, and the drape being fastened with snap fasteners, hooks and eyes.

Given by Lady Templer

Lady Templer bought this as an original model made for the mannequin show, but had the straps added because her shoulders were narrow. She says that Lady Kindersleigh bought the same dress but without the embroidery.

Worn by Ethel, Lady Templer (nee Davie 1904-1997), the wife of Field Marshal Sir Gerald Templer, KG, GCB, GCMG, KBE (1898–1979). She is described as 'obviously a good army wife' - The Diaries of Cynthia Gladwyn (London, 1995), and for much of the 1950s lived in Malaya (carrying out official duties) while her husband was High Commissioner.

Attribution note: Original mannequin model

This dress was designed by the London couturier Victor Stiebel (1907–76). He was originally trained by the court dressmaker Reville.

Lady Ethel Templer (née Davie, 1904-97), bought this dress in the late 1950s. She was very slim and was able to buy the original dress worn by a house model for the collection. It was originally strapless, but she asked Stiebel to add the straps because her shoulders were narrow. Lady Templer was the wife of the British High Commissioner to Malaya, and required an extensive wardrobe for the many formal dinners and state functions that she had to attend.

The embroidery upon the bodice would have originally been more silvery than it appears now. The metal has oxidised making it appear slightly black and dull.

T.172-1969