Wedding Dress
1953 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This dress was worn by Anne Molineux for her wedding to the lawyer Gordon Hodson at All Saints Sanderstead in Surrey on 9th May 1953. The dress was designed for her by Isobel, a London based designer for whom Anne had worked as a PA from about 1948-1951.
The couple had in fact met at Isobel's country home, Landhurst Wood, in Hartfield, Sussex, at the designer's New Years Eve party. Before working for her, Anne was introduced to Isobel by P C Molineux, Anne's father, a senior partner of Chantrey Button & Co, who audited Isobel's accounts as well as those of other London fashion houses.
The dress and its matching Juliet cap are both delicately embroidered in diamante and pearl beading. While the bodice of the dress is very fitted, it spills out into a full, floor length skirt with a train.
Isobel was one of London's most successful fashion houses in the inter-war period. Her customers included celebrities, aristocrats and stage personalities. While many of these clients came to her for leisurewear, she was also well known for glamorous eveningwear. This taste for glamour is demonstrated in the design for this wedding dress.
The couple had in fact met at Isobel's country home, Landhurst Wood, in Hartfield, Sussex, at the designer's New Years Eve party. Before working for her, Anne was introduced to Isobel by P C Molineux, Anne's father, a senior partner of Chantrey Button & Co, who audited Isobel's accounts as well as those of other London fashion houses.
The dress and its matching Juliet cap are both delicately embroidered in diamante and pearl beading. While the bodice of the dress is very fitted, it spills out into a full, floor length skirt with a train.
Isobel was one of London's most successful fashion houses in the inter-war period. Her customers included celebrities, aristocrats and stage personalities. While many of these clients came to her for leisurewear, she was also well known for glamorous eveningwear. This taste for glamour is demonstrated in the design for this wedding dress.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Machine-made lace, silk, diamante and faux pearl beads. |
| Brief description | Machine-made silk lace dress, lined with silk, part embroidered with diamantes, faux pearls and opalescent beads; made by Isobel, London; worn by Anne Molineux for her wedding in 1953. |
| Physical description | White silk machine-made lace wedding dress, lined with silk, embroidered with diamantes, faux pearls and opalescent beads. The full length dress has a shaped V-neck and wrist length sleeves. It has a fitted bodice with a shaped panel at the front which defines the midriff. The lace covering the shoulders and arms is un-lined and embroidered in a floral pattern with diamantes, faux pearls and opalascent beads. The full skirt extends at the back into a short train whose hem is similarly embroidered with faux pearls and diamantes. |
| Dimensions | Dimensions taken by Conservation for 'Wedding Dresses 1775-2014' mounting, 2014. |
| Production type | Haute couture |
| Gallery label |
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| Credit line | Given by Mrs. Gordon Hodson |
| Object history | This dress was worn by Anne Molineux for her wedding to the lawyer Gordon Hodson. The wedding took place at All Saints Sanderstead in Surrey on 9 May 1953. The dress was made by Isobel, for whom the bride had worked as a PA from about 1948-51. Isobel had been one of London's most successful fashion houses in the inter-war period. |
| Summary | This dress was worn by Anne Molineux for her wedding to the lawyer Gordon Hodson at All Saints Sanderstead in Surrey on 9th May 1953. The dress was designed for her by Isobel, a London based designer for whom Anne had worked as a PA from about 1948-1951. The couple had in fact met at Isobel's country home, Landhurst Wood, in Hartfield, Sussex, at the designer's New Years Eve party. Before working for her, Anne was introduced to Isobel by P C Molineux, Anne's father, a senior partner of Chantrey Button & Co, who audited Isobel's accounts as well as those of other London fashion houses. The dress and its matching Juliet cap are both delicately embroidered in diamante and pearl beading. While the bodice of the dress is very fitted, it spills out into a full, floor length skirt with a train. Isobel was one of London's most successful fashion houses in the inter-war period. Her customers included celebrities, aristocrats and stage personalities. While many of these clients came to her for leisurewear, she was also well known for glamorous eveningwear. This taste for glamour is demonstrated in the design for this wedding dress. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.78:1-2013 |
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| Record created | November 25, 2013 |
| Record URL |
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