Plaisir skirt suit thumbnail 1
Plaisir skirt suit thumbnail 2
+2
images
Not on display

Plaisir skirt suit

Plaisir Skirt Suit
September 1953 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Christian Dior founded his Parisian fashion house in 1946, with backing from the textile manufacturer Marcel Boussac. On 12 February 1947, the House of Dior launched its first collection. Dubbed the ‘New Look’ by the press, the collection had an instant and unparalleled influence on fashion around the world.

Following the success of his haute couture house in Paris, in 1952 Christian Dior set up a London-based company, C. D. Models (London) Ltd., to sell high-end ready-to-wear versions of his designs to the British public. Originally based in Stratford Place with workrooms in Maddox Street, the first collection of the London branch of Dior was launched at the Savoy Hotel on 10th December 1952. The London collection was based on the Paris haute couture collections but modified for a British clientele.

This suit was won through a competition in the British newspaper Daily Express by Mrs Elsie Rashleigh in September 1953.

Delve deeper

Discover more about this object
read 'With Tongue in Chic' by Ernestine Carter Fashion journalist Ernestine Carter (1906 – 83) cut her teeth in the world of glossy magazines as Fashion Editor at Harper's Bazaar. In this extract from her autobiography, she recalls the thrill of an early assignment: attending the Parisian launch of Christian Dior's legendary 'New Look'...
view Dior in Britain A confirmed Anglophile, Christian Dior associated his many visits to Britain with "a sensation of happiness and great personal freedom".

Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Jacket
  • Skirt
TitlePlaisir skirt suit (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Wool with silk lining
Brief description
Plaisir wool skirt suit by Christian Dior C. D. Models (London) Ltd., Spring/Summer 1953
Physical description
Jacket and skirt suit in black wool with satin lining. The jacket features a square neckline with a wide, square collar. The cut of the jacket follows the recognisable shape of Christian Dior’s Spring/Summer 1953 Tulip Line, which placed emphasis on the bust and narrowed the hips.
Dimensions
  • Weight: 1.4kg
Styles
Production typeReady to wear
Marks and inscriptions
'02656' (Number on label)
Gallery label
Plaisir ensemble (‘Pleasure’) In a competition run by the Daily Express in 1953, Elsie Rashleigh won this Dior suit made by C.D. Models (London) Ltd. Entrants were asked to write in with their opinions of Christian Dior’s latest collection, which had caused controversy by introducing shorter hemlines. Mrs Rashleigh was reportedly won over to the new, shorter length when she visited the Dior London showroom to choose her prize. Christian Dior (1905–57) C.D. Models (London) Ltd, 1953, Tulipe line (London version) Wool (barathea) Victoria and Albert Museum : T.499:1&2-1997 Worn and given by Mrs Elsie Rashleigh(02/02/2019-14/07/2019)
Credit line
Worn and given by Mrs Elsie Rashleigh
Object history
In August 1953, coinciding with the release of Christian Dior’s latest collection La Ligne Tulipe (the Tulip Line), British newspaper the Daily Express launched a competition in which readers could win an outfit from the London branch of Dior. The paper invited readers to give their opinion on the latest collection, which featured shorter skirts (16 inches from the floor). Mrs Elsie Rashleigh won for her comment that, although Dior’s suddenly shorter skirts were fine for teenagers, they were not suitable for someone of her age (51). On the 7th September the Daily Express ran a final instalment of their Dior competition, detailing Mrs Rashleigh’s visit to the Dior London House to choose her outfit. The suit that she chose, named Plaisir (pleasure), originally came in velvet, but Rashleigh ordered a ‘more practical’ wool barathea.
Production
Attribution note: High-end ready-to-wear
Summary
Christian Dior founded his Parisian fashion house in 1946, with backing from the textile manufacturer Marcel Boussac. On 12 February 1947, the House of Dior launched its first collection. Dubbed the ‘New Look’ by the press, the collection had an instant and unparalleled influence on fashion around the world.

Following the success of his haute couture house in Paris, in 1952 Christian Dior set up a London-based company, C. D. Models (London) Ltd., to sell high-end ready-to-wear versions of his designs to the British public. Originally based in Stratford Place with workrooms in Maddox Street, the first collection of the London branch of Dior was launched at the Savoy Hotel on 10th December 1952. The London collection was based on the Paris haute couture collections but modified for a British clientele.

This suit was won through a competition in the British newspaper Daily Express by Mrs Elsie Rashleigh in September 1953.
Bibliographic reference
Oriole Cullen and Connie Karol Burks, Christian Dior, (V&A: London) 2019, p. 16
Other number
1997/9865 - RF number
Collection
Accession number
T.499:1, 2-1997

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdAugust 3, 2007
Record URL
Download as: JSON