Hat thumbnail 1
Hat thumbnail 2
Not on display

This object consists of 3 parts, some of which may be located elsewhere.

Hat

1950 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Lady Alexandra Howard-Johnston (later Lady Dacre) was the wife of the Naval Attaché to Paris at the end of the 1940s. She required an extensive wardrobe for the many formal dinners and state functions that she had to attend.

Lady Alexandra dressed exclusively at Jacques Fath (1912-54), and he also supplied her accessories. A hat was considered the essential finishing touch to any outfit during the 1940s and 1950s, and this hat completed an outfit that Lady Alexandra wore to the unveiling of a statue in honour of her father, Field Marshal Earl Haig, in Montreuil-sur-Mer in 1950.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 3 parts.

  • Hat Pin
  • Hat Pin
  • Hat
Materials and techniques
Felt, silk and metal
Brief description
Felt and silk hat with two hatpins, made by Svend for Jacques Fath, Paris, 1950
Physical description
Hat of dark grey felt. The crown is folded and held in place at the back and sides, held in place by stitches. It has a brim which is turned downwards, and ranges from 3 inches at the front, tapering to approximately 1.625 inches at the back. It has a grey silk scarf round the base of the crown, tied at the back. Worn with two hat pins, approximately 3.25 inches long, with a bobble at the end of matching grey felt, and pinned through scarf at the left side.
Production typeHaute couture
Marks and inscriptions
'Jacques Fath, Paris, MADE IN FRANCE' (Label, machine woven, black on white)
Gallery label
(22/09/2007)
Dress and hat
Jacques Fath (1912-54)
Paris
1950

Lady Alexandra shared the physique of Fath's mannequins and was given some of the model dresses. She wore this ensemble to the unveiling of a statue of her father, the First World War commander Field-Marshal Earl Haig. Fath then altered the dress for one of Lady Alexandra's pregnancies. The scarf, she said, was 'very suitable for my condition'.

Dress: gabardine
Hat: felt

Given by Lady Dacre
V&A: T.182, 186-1974
Credit line
Given by Lady Alexandra Trevor-Roper
Object history
Worn with T.182-1974
Historical context
Lady Alexandra Trevor-Roper favoured Fath for her wardrobe, and contributed the large portion of the V&A's Fath collection.
Association
Summary
Lady Alexandra Howard-Johnston (later Lady Dacre) was the wife of the Naval Attaché to Paris at the end of the 1940s. She required an extensive wardrobe for the many formal dinners and state functions that she had to attend.

Lady Alexandra dressed exclusively at Jacques Fath (1912-54), and he also supplied her accessories. A hat was considered the essential finishing touch to any outfit during the 1940s and 1950s, and this hat completed an outfit that Lady Alexandra wore to the unveiling of a statue in honour of her father, Field Marshal Earl Haig, in Montreuil-sur-Mer in 1950.
Associated object
T.182-1974 (Ensemble)
Bibliographic references
  • Lynn, E., 'Lady Alexandra' in Wilcox, C. ed., The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947-1957 (V&A Publications, 2007), p.172-3 & pl.7.15.
  • Cecil Beaton gift Registered Papers F/5, October 10 1971:
Collection
Accession number
T.186 to B-1974

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Record createdJanuary 12, 2006
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