Not on display

Ensemble

1971 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The clothes that Marion Foale and Sally Tuffin made between 1961 and 1972 were always lively, fun and graphic. Foale and Tuffin considered wearability and practicality, and designed clothes that could be comfortably worn by active young women in a wide range of circumstances. This four-part interchangeable ensemble in lightweight wool is based around a tunic and trouser set, which is accompanied by a quilted jacket and a flounced and quilted pinafore dress in chequerboard and floral Liberty prints. The dress, jacket, trousers and tunic can be worn together in various combinations, or worn separately with other garments.

The ensemble was specially chosen by the designers to donate to the Cecil Beaton Collection as their most representative design for 1971. Beaton acquired garments from designers and the well-dressed elite of Europe and America. The collection was exhibited at the V&A in 1971, accompanied by a catalogue detailing its enormous range, and was subsequently presented to the Museum.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 4 parts.

  • Trousers
  • Blouse
  • Pinafore
  • Jacket
Materials and techniques
Printed and quilted Varuna wool
Brief description
Trouser suit ensemble consisting of a jacket, 'Tea Bags' trousers, 'Little Blouse' tunic blouse and 'Ping Pong' pinafore in printed and quilted Varuna wool and cotton, designed by Marion Foale and Sally Tuffin, textile designed by Liberty & Co. Ltd., London, 1971
Physical description
Trouser suit consisting of a jacket, trousers, tunic blouse and pinafore in printed and quilted Varuna wool.
Production typeReady to wear
Marks and inscriptions
'Marion Foale and / Sally Tuffin' and 'Made in England' (Label, white on black)
Credit line
Given by Foale & Tuffin
Object history
The different elements of the ensemble can be worn separately or together. Without the pinafore and jacket, the chequerboard trousers and tunic represent Foale and Tuffin's classic and innovative trousersuit design from the 1960s. Both trousers and tunic are wearable as part of other ensembles. The pinafore can also double as a flouncy sundress or informal evening frock when worn by itself, or be worn with the tunic underneath and/or the jacket on top.
Subject depicted
Summary
The clothes that Marion Foale and Sally Tuffin made between 1961 and 1972 were always lively, fun and graphic. Foale and Tuffin considered wearability and practicality, and designed clothes that could be comfortably worn by active young women in a wide range of circumstances. This four-part interchangeable ensemble in lightweight wool is based around a tunic and trouser set, which is accompanied by a quilted jacket and a flounced and quilted pinafore dress in chequerboard and floral Liberty prints. The dress, jacket, trousers and tunic can be worn together in various combinations, or worn separately with other garments.

The ensemble was specially chosen by the designers to donate to the Cecil Beaton Collection as their most representative design for 1971. Beaton acquired garments from designers and the well-dressed elite of Europe and America. The collection was exhibited at the V&A in 1971, accompanied by a catalogue detailing its enormous range, and was subsequently presented to the Museum.
Associated object
T.192D-1974 (Ensemble)
Bibliographic reference
Fashion : An Anthology by Cecil Beaton. London : H.M.S.O., 1971 no. 378
Collection
Accession number
T.192 to C-1974

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Record createdJuly 16, 2007
Record URL
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