Hat and Hat Pin thumbnail 1
Hat and Hat Pin thumbnail 2
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Not on display

This object consists of 2 parts, some of which may be located elsewhere.

Hat and Hat Pin

ca. 1950 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Lady Alexandra Howard-Johnston (later Lady Dacre) was the wife of the Naval Attaché to Paris. She required an extensive wardrobe for the many formal dinners and state functions that she had to attend, and no outfit was complete without the appropriate accessories such as hats and gloves.

Lady Alexandra dressed exclusively at Jacques Fath. The designer lent her evening and day dresses each season, aware of the publicity that this would give his house. 'If there was a Fath dress I wanted to keep, I could pay sale price at the end of the season. I was not allowed to go to any other couturier, but I did not want to - Fath was perfection.'

This hat is very typical of its time, when small but elaborate hats were worn to cocktail parties or restaurants.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Hat Pin
  • Hat
Materials and techniques
Cotton and paper on net, supported by wire and net
Brief description
Hat of net, cotton and paper, with hat pin, made by Svend for Jacques Fath, Paris, ca. 1950
Physical description
Hat of white net with sprays of artificial flowers in cotton and paper, and small plant shoots in white, pink, green and lavender. It has a wire frame with a net base, and a maroon net veil attached to the sides, covering the flowers at the front. Worn with hat pin approximately 4.125 inches long with a small bobble of white net.
Production typeHaute couture
Marks and inscriptions
'Jacques Fath / Paris' (Label, machine woven, black and white)
Credit line
Given by Lady Alexandra Trevor-Roper
Historical context
Lady Alexandra Trevor-Roper favoured Fath for her wardrobe, and contributed the large portion of the V&A's Fath collection.
Subjects depicted
Association
Summary
Lady Alexandra Howard-Johnston (later Lady Dacre) was the wife of the Naval Attaché to Paris. She required an extensive wardrobe for the many formal dinners and state functions that she had to attend, and no outfit was complete without the appropriate accessories such as hats and gloves.

Lady Alexandra dressed exclusively at Jacques Fath. The designer lent her evening and day dresses each season, aware of the publicity that this would give his house. 'If there was a Fath dress I wanted to keep, I could pay sale price at the end of the season. I was not allowed to go to any other couturier, but I did not want to - Fath was perfection.'

This hat is very typical of its time, when small but elaborate hats were worn to cocktail parties or restaurants.
Collection
Accession number
T.191&A-1974

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Record createdJanuary 12, 2006
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