This day dress is probably a design by Victor Steibel. It is from the Utility Collection by the Incorporated Society of London Fashion Designers for the Board of Trade. The simplification and economy of material match the conditions laid down by the Board. These conditions related to the manufacture of civilian clothing during the Second World War (1939-1945). Both hand-crafted and mass-produced tailoring was as important then as it is today. Fashion designers tried their best to be inventive without wasting precious fabric. However, there was a very limited choice. The Utility Scheme was introduced by the Board in 1941. Its aim was to ensure that consumer goods were produced to the highest possible standards at 'reasonable' prices. These standards complied with restrictions and rationing of raw materials. Utility garments were made from Utility cloth, which was defined in terms of minimum weight and fibre content per yard. Utility clothes were usually identified by a distinctive double crescent CC41 (Civilian Clothing) label.