Walking Costume
1911 (designed)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Lucile (Lady Duff Gordon) designed this stylish jacket. 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. 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. Heather Firbank wore this example. She was daughter of the affluent Member of Parliament Sir Thomas Firbank and sister of the novelist Ronald Firbank. In 1921 her expensive clothes, bought from leading fashion houses, were packed into trunks and put into storage, where they remained for the next 35 years. In 1960 the V&A 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 appeared in an exhibition at the V&A in 1960. It was called '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. Heather Firbank wore this example. She was daughter of the affluent Member of Parliament Sir Thomas Firbank and sister of the novelist Ronald Firbank. In 1921 her expensive clothes, bought from leading fashion houses, were packed into trunks and put into storage, where they remained for the next 35 years. In 1960 the V&A 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 appeared in an exhibition at the V&A in 1960. It was called '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 | Woven wool and mohair, trimmed with printed velvet |
| Brief description | Jacket and skirt of wool and mohair, designed by Lucile, London, c.1911 |
| Physical description | Jacket and skirt of charcoal grey wool and mohair. The jacket is hip length with a high waist emphasised by a tuck. There is a small sailor collar of dark and light grey striped velvet, and bands of the same material are used to trim the sleeves and pockets (which are totally decorative) and cover the buttons. If worn unfastened, a high buttoning waistcoat front of grey satin, also trimmed with velvet, is visible. Lined with grey satin and stitched inside the centre back neck is a label. The skirt is cut straight in the front and draped at the back. A petticoat border of alternate stripes of grey satin and velvet shows at the hem. The waistband is of striped velvet with a small button trimmed panel of the same at the centre front and back. |
| Dimensions |
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| Summary | Lucile (Lady Duff Gordon) designed this stylish jacket. 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. 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. Heather Firbank wore this example. She was daughter of the affluent Member of Parliament Sir Thomas Firbank and sister of the novelist Ronald Firbank. In 1921 her expensive clothes, bought from leading fashion houses, were packed into trunks and put into storage, where they remained for the next 35 years. In 1960 the V&A 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 appeared in an exhibition at the V&A in 1960. It was called 'Lady of Fashion: Heather Firbank and what she wore between 1908 and 1921'. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.36&A-1960 |
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| Record created | December 15, 1999 |
| Record URL |
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