Fashion Design
Fashion Design
1980s-92 (made)
1980s-92 (made)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Ian Thomas is most well known for having been the Queen’s dress designer for over 20 years until his early death in 1992. Born in Oxford in 1929, he went onto study fashion at Oxford College of Art. On graduating in 1952, he worked as an assistant designer to Norman Hartnell, where he worked on Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation robes.
After 17 years working for Hartnell, Thomas opened his own couture business in Lowndes Street, Belgravia, in 1969. Under his own label he dressed many members of the royal family, notably making day and evening clothes for the Queen. Thomas was awarded a Royal Warrant as dressmaker in 1973. His success, according to The Independent lay in the fact that the Queen and ‘many members of society appreciated the restrained and understated elegance of his clothes.’
After 17 years working for Hartnell, Thomas opened his own couture business in Lowndes Street, Belgravia, in 1969. Under his own label he dressed many members of the royal family, notably making day and evening clothes for the Queen. Thomas was awarded a Royal Warrant as dressmaker in 1973. His success, according to The Independent lay in the fact that the Queen and ‘many members of society appreciated the restrained and understated elegance of his clothes.’
Object details
Categories | |
Object type | |
Title | Fashion Design (generic title) |
Materials and techniques | Drawn in pencil and ink then coloured in gouache, notes written in ink, fabric paper cliped to paper. |
Brief description | Ian Thomas; fashion design, 1980s-92 |
Physical description | Image of a woman wearing a knee length dress in green designed by Ian Thomas, the dress has a draped front with a swathe of material over the shoulder and a narrow black waist belt. A sample of the dresses fabric is paper clipped to the upper left hand corner of the design. |
Dimensions |
|
Style | |
Production type | Design |
Marks and inscriptions | Ian Thomas (Signed) |
Credit line | Given in memory of Mr Ian Thomas by his executors |
Summary | Ian Thomas is most well known for having been the Queen’s dress designer for over 20 years until his early death in 1992. Born in Oxford in 1929, he went onto study fashion at Oxford College of Art. On graduating in 1952, he worked as an assistant designer to Norman Hartnell, where he worked on Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation robes. After 17 years working for Hartnell, Thomas opened his own couture business in Lowndes Street, Belgravia, in 1969. Under his own label he dressed many members of the royal family, notably making day and evening clothes for the Queen. Thomas was awarded a Royal Warrant as dressmaker in 1973. His success, according to The Independent lay in the fact that the Queen and ‘many members of society appreciated the restrained and understated elegance of his clothes.’ |
Collection | |
Accession number | E.2869-2016 |
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Record created | November 15, 2016 |
Record URL |
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