Costume
Artist/Maker |
Like many designers, Messel was fascinated by costume and crafts. He collected items not particularly because he was researching for a specific production, but simply because they took his fancy. He amassed a collection of hats and headdresses, including several bridal wreaths. Although in materials and style this wedding headdress relates to some of the East European examples in his collection, it is more stylish, incorporating, almost hidden among the tiny white flowers, a row of subtle wax blossoms edged with green leaves, which adds a touch of sophistication to the simplicity.
Oliver Messel (1904-1978) was Britain's leading theatre designer from the early 1930s to the mid 1950s, working in every aspect of entertainment - ballet, drama, film, musical, opera and revue - as well as in interior decoration and textile design. His lavish, painterly and romantic designs informed by period styles, were perfectly in tune with his times and earned him an international reputation. By 1960, however, Messel's style had become unfashionable, having no sympathy with the new 'kitchen sink' school of theatre. He increasingly concentrated on his non-theatrical painting and designing and eventually retired to the Caribbean, where he began a new career designing and building highly idiosyncratic luxury villas.
Oliver Messel (1904-1978) was Britain's leading theatre designer from the early 1930s to the mid 1950s, working in every aspect of entertainment - ballet, drama, film, musical, opera and revue - as well as in interior decoration and textile design. His lavish, painterly and romantic designs informed by period styles, were perfectly in tune with his times and earned him an international reputation. By 1960, however, Messel's style had become unfashionable, having no sympathy with the new 'kitchen sink' school of theatre. He increasingly concentrated on his non-theatrical painting and designing and eventually retired to the Caribbean, where he began a new career designing and building highly idiosyncratic luxury villas.
Object details
Category | |
Object type | |
Materials and techniques | cotton fabric flowers, wax flowers and paper leaves, wire, paper |
Brief description | Wedding headdress of white fabric flowers, wax flowers and buds and paper leaves. Oliver Messel Collection |
Physical description | Elliptical headdress, forming into a point at front and back. The wire base is covered with paper to which are fixed sprays of tiny star-shaped flowers with wax buds, forming a deep band. Set in the middle is a row of pearlised wax blossoms with minute yellow stamens, and tiny green paper leaves. |
Credit line | Acquired with the support of the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Art Fund and the Friends of the V&A |
Object history | Messel collected costume artefacts mostly out of interest in dress and crafts, not because he was necessarily researching a for a particular production. Lord Snowdon, Oliver Messel's nephew, inherited Messel's theatre designs and other designs and artefacts. The designs were briefly stored in a disused chapel in Kensington Palace before being housed at the V&A from 1981 on indefinite loan. The V&A Theatre Museum purchased the Oliver Messel collection from Lord Snowdon in 2005. |
Summary | Like many designers, Messel was fascinated by costume and crafts. He collected items not particularly because he was researching for a specific production, but simply because they took his fancy. He amassed a collection of hats and headdresses, including several bridal wreaths. Although in materials and style this wedding headdress relates to some of the East European examples in his collection, it is more stylish, incorporating, almost hidden among the tiny white flowers, a row of subtle wax blossoms edged with green leaves, which adds a touch of sophistication to the simplicity. Oliver Messel (1904-1978) was Britain's leading theatre designer from the early 1930s to the mid 1950s, working in every aspect of entertainment - ballet, drama, film, musical, opera and revue - as well as in interior decoration and textile design. His lavish, painterly and romantic designs informed by period styles, were perfectly in tune with his times and earned him an international reputation. By 1960, however, Messel's style had become unfashionable, having no sympathy with the new 'kitchen sink' school of theatre. He increasingly concentrated on his non-theatrical painting and designing and eventually retired to the Caribbean, where he began a new career designing and building highly idiosyncratic luxury villas. |
Other number | ROT 8900 - TM Rotation Number |
Collection | |
Accession number | S.562-2006 |
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Record created | March 6, 2007 |
Record URL |
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