Walking Costume
1912 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This stylish ensemble was designed by Lucile (Lady Duff Gordon). Lucile was born Lucy Sutherland in London in 1863. She began dressmaking for friends and in 1891 opened her own fashion house. She married Sir Cosmo Duff Gordon in 1900. Lady Duff Gordon became a celebrated fashion designer, with branches in New York (1909), Chicago (1911) and Paris (1911). She was famous for her clever use of fabrics to create soft and harmonious effects, subtle colour schemes and romantic dresses, particularly suited to evening wear. Her clients included Irene Castle and Sarah Bernhardt as well as film stars and royalty. She sold her business in 1918.
This type of understated smart costume was popular for town wear during the autumn and winter months. This example was worn by Heather Firbank (1888-1954), daughter of the affluent Member of Parliament Sir Thomas Firbank and sister of the novelist Ronald Firbank. According to Ronald Firbank's biographer, Miriam J. Benkovitz, Heather was young, 'had beauty, and she adorned it with exquisite clothes of a heather colour to complement her name'. In 1921 her expensive clothes, bought from leading houses, were packed into trunks and put into storage, where they remained for the next 35 years. In 1960 the Museum acquired well over 100 items from her wardrobe. This collection forms an invaluable record of a stylish and wealthy woman's taste between about 1905 and 1920. Many items were shown in an exhibition at the Museum in 1960: 'Lady of Fashion: Heather Firbank and what she wore between 1908 and 1921'.
This type of understated smart costume was popular for town wear during the autumn and winter months. This example was worn by Heather Firbank (1888-1954), daughter of the affluent Member of Parliament Sir Thomas Firbank and sister of the novelist Ronald Firbank. According to Ronald Firbank's biographer, Miriam J. Benkovitz, Heather was young, 'had beauty, and she adorned it with exquisite clothes of a heather colour to complement her name'. In 1921 her expensive clothes, bought from leading houses, were packed into trunks and put into storage, where they remained for the next 35 years. In 1960 the Museum acquired well over 100 items from her wardrobe. This collection forms an invaluable record of a stylish and wealthy woman's taste between about 1905 and 1920. Many items were shown in an exhibition at the Museum in 1960: 'Lady of Fashion: Heather Firbank and what she wore between 1908 and 1921'.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Worsted wool, lined with satin, boned |
| Brief description | Jacket and skirt in worsted wool, made by Lucile, London, 1912 |
| Physical description | Jacket and skirt in dark grey worsted woollen cloth. The jacket is hip length and straight cut with no collar and a low revers which can be worn open to show black and white striped lining hooked across. The sleeves are three-quarter length and trimmed with bands of covered buttons of self material. A similar band of trimming fastens the jacket at the waist. Skirt of matching material. It is ankle length, straight in the front and slightly gathered at the back waist, and the fullness is caught with bands of trimming at the ankle, similar to those on the jacket. There is a wide boned grosgrain waistband and a plaquet fastening over with hooks and snap fasteners. The jacket and skirt are lined throughout with satin with bold black and white stripes. |
| Summary | This stylish ensemble was designed by Lucile (Lady Duff Gordon). Lucile was born Lucy Sutherland in London in 1863. She began dressmaking for friends and in 1891 opened her own fashion house. She married Sir Cosmo Duff Gordon in 1900. Lady Duff Gordon became a celebrated fashion designer, with branches in New York (1909), Chicago (1911) and Paris (1911). She was famous for her clever use of fabrics to create soft and harmonious effects, subtle colour schemes and romantic dresses, particularly suited to evening wear. Her clients included Irene Castle and Sarah Bernhardt as well as film stars and royalty. She sold her business in 1918. This type of understated smart costume was popular for town wear during the autumn and winter months. This example was worn by Heather Firbank (1888-1954), daughter of the affluent Member of Parliament Sir Thomas Firbank and sister of the novelist Ronald Firbank. According to Ronald Firbank's biographer, Miriam J. Benkovitz, Heather was young, 'had beauty, and she adorned it with exquisite clothes of a heather colour to complement her name'. In 1921 her expensive clothes, bought from leading houses, were packed into trunks and put into storage, where they remained for the next 35 years. In 1960 the Museum acquired well over 100 items from her wardrobe. This collection forms an invaluable record of a stylish and wealthy woman's taste between about 1905 and 1920. Many items were shown in an exhibition at the Museum in 1960: 'Lady of Fashion: Heather Firbank and what she wore between 1908 and 1921'. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.38&A-1960 |
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| Record created | December 15, 1999 |
| Record URL |
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