Malaga
Cocktail Dress
1966 (made)
1966 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This Jacques Heim dress of Spring 1966 is young and striking. Sparkling synthetic mesh dotted with pom-poms makes a drop-waisted sleeveless dress with flared miniskirt. In the 1960s, long-established couturiers struggled to attract younger clients who wanted outrageous clothes from Carnaby Street or Chelsea's King's Road boutiques. It was a losing battle, as trendy young people often declined to shop where their mothers did.
Jacques Heim launched his couture business in the 1920s. In the 1940s he was one of the first couturiers to sell ready-to-wear clothing in boutiques. In 1957, Heim struck a deal with the London manufacturer R.L.Salmon Ltd. They bought the exclusive rights to reproduce Jacques Heim's Paris collections for a British audience. Twice a year, the couture house sent them sketches and materials for Spring or Autumn collections. The final results were approved by Heim before the clothes were sold by high end London boutiques.
Jacques Heim launched his couture business in the 1920s. In the 1940s he was one of the first couturiers to sell ready-to-wear clothing in boutiques. In 1957, Heim struck a deal with the London manufacturer R.L.Salmon Ltd. They bought the exclusive rights to reproduce Jacques Heim's Paris collections for a British audience. Twice a year, the couture house sent them sketches and materials for Spring or Autumn collections. The final results were approved by Heim before the clothes were sold by high end London boutiques.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Malaga (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | Silk overlaid with synthetic net, sequin and braid trimming |
| Brief description | Straight-bodied cocktail minidress 'Malaga', designed by Jacques Heim, made by R.L. Salmon Ltd, London, 1966 |
| Physical description | Straight-bodied cocktail minidress with a dropped waist and flared near-circular skirt. Rough black silk overlaid with a sparkling synthetic black net with pom-poms dotted throughout. Wide bands of sequins and braid passementerie about the waist and high round neckline. Sleeveless. Back zipper. |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Model |
| Marks and inscriptions |
|
| Credit line | Given by Mrs Naomi Robins. |
| Object history | This is one of a group of Heim garments donated in 1998 along with design books and fabric swatches, some of which directly relate to the garments. From 1957, the London manufacturer R.L.Salmon Ltd had exclusive rights to reproduce Jacques Heim's Paris collections. Twice a year, the couture house sent them sketches and materials for Spring or Autumn collections. The final results were approved by Heim before the clothes went to high end London boutiques. |
| Historical context | The fabrics for this particular design are in the design book dated Spring 1966, attached to the sketch for 'Malaga', number 3310. The original design shows a V neck, pocket flaps and short sleeves, and trimming around the hem, none of which are present in the actual object. A higher neck has been sketched in on the sketch, and an annotation says "No sleeves. pocket flaps" This dress is rather more like the preceding sketch, "Izmir", which is virtually identical to the "Malaga" sketch, apart from the untrimmed hem, and is sketched as being made from an all-over dotted fabric, which suggests the net fabric with pom-poms used here. However, Izmir's swatch of fabric is a sorbet-pink linen with metallic threads. |
| Production | Spring 1966 Attribution note: From the Spring 1966 collection |
| Summary | This Jacques Heim dress of Spring 1966 is young and striking. Sparkling synthetic mesh dotted with pom-poms makes a drop-waisted sleeveless dress with flared miniskirt. In the 1960s, long-established couturiers struggled to attract younger clients who wanted outrageous clothes from Carnaby Street or Chelsea's King's Road boutiques. It was a losing battle, as trendy young people often declined to shop where their mothers did. Jacques Heim launched his couture business in the 1920s. In the 1940s he was one of the first couturiers to sell ready-to-wear clothing in boutiques. In 1957, Heim struck a deal with the London manufacturer R.L.Salmon Ltd. They bought the exclusive rights to reproduce Jacques Heim's Paris collections for a British audience. Twice a year, the couture house sent them sketches and materials for Spring or Autumn collections. The final results were approved by Heim before the clothes were sold by high end London boutiques. |
| Other number | 3310 - design number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.138-1998 |
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| Record created | February 9, 2007 |
| Record URL |
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