Wedding Dress thumbnail 1
Wedding Dress thumbnail 2
Not currently on display at the V&A

Wedding Dress

1964 (made), 24 April 1964 (worn)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Floor-length wedding dress with train. The bodice is high-waisted with triangular shaped darts around the bust area. The neckline is round and the bodice is decorated with a bow at centre front. The skirt is made up of four panels with a dart down the centre front. The train and inside of the skirt are lined with net to act as a stiffener creating the traditional wedding dress shape. The skirt is decorated with lozenge-shaped organza frills and bows. The dress is fastened at the back with a zip. The inner lining is made of satin and the inner lining of the skirt and waist tie are secured with hooks and eyes. Only part of the net veil survives as well as six grips which would have been used for attachment


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 3 parts.

  • Wedding Veil (Fragment)
  • Wedding Dress
  • Ribbon
Materials and techniques
Brief description
Silk satin overlaid with organza, train and skirt lined with net. Designed by Bellville et Cie, British, 1964
Physical description
Floor-length wedding dress with train. The bodice is high-waisted with triangular shaped darts around the bust area. The neckline is round and the bodice is decorated with a bow at centre front. The skirt is made up of four panels with a dart down the centre front. The train and inside of the skirt are lined with net to act as a stiffener creating the traditional wedding dress shape. The skirt is decorated with lozenge-shaped organza frills and bows. The dress is fastened at the back with a zip. The inner lining is made of satin and the inner lining of the skirt and waist tie are secured with hooks and eyes. Only part of the net veil survives as well as six grips which would have been used for attachment
Credit line
Given by Allan Hughes
Object history
Worn by Anne Stephen on 24 April 1964 for her marriage to Mr Allan Berkeley Valentine Hughes
Historical context
The wedding dress and veil fragment were donated together with an original fashion drawing by Belinda Bellville. This adds to its importance and will be acquired by the Prints, Drawings and Paintings Department. It would be very effective to exhibit the dress and design together as they don't often exist in tandem.

The dress is also important in a social history context. It was worn by Anne Hughes (née Anne Stephen) at her marriage to Mr Allan Hughes on 24th April 1964. Mrs Hughes recently died which is why her husband has decided to donate. He also has some excellent photographs of the wedding which he would be happy for us to duplicate for exhibition purposes
Associated object
E.1611-2001 (Design)
Collection
Accession number
T.403:2-2001

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Record createdSeptember 28, 2001
Record URL
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