Suit
1940 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The lounge suit dominated men's dress from the 1920s onwards. It was worn at events and in places where in previous decades more formal attire would have been required. By 1940s men were wearing lounge suits with a pullover in place of a waistcoat. Pullovers were previously worn for informal and sporting occasions but they gradually became integrated into mainstream fashion.
This suit was worn by HRH The Duke of Windsor. As Prince of Wales he had been crowned King Edward VIII in 1936, but he abdicated the same year and took the title of The Duke of Windsor. The Duke was acknowledged internationally as the leader of men's fashion. He rebelled against the stiff formality of dress and became famous for his casual style. Using the best London and New York tailors, he continued to be adventurous in his love of bright colour, strong texture and bold pattern.
The Duke gave this suit to Sir Cecil Beaton, who was then collecting fashionable dress for his 1971 exhibition, Fashion: An Anthology.
This suit was worn by HRH The Duke of Windsor. As Prince of Wales he had been crowned King Edward VIII in 1936, but he abdicated the same year and took the title of The Duke of Windsor. The Duke was acknowledged internationally as the leader of men's fashion. He rebelled against the stiff formality of dress and became famous for his casual style. Using the best London and New York tailors, he continued to be adventurous in his love of bright colour, strong texture and bold pattern.
The Duke gave this suit to Sir Cecil Beaton, who was then collecting fashionable dress for his 1971 exhibition, Fashion: An Anthology.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 2 parts.
|
| Materials and techniques | Woven wool |
| Brief description | Man's single-breasted suit of wool, made by Trimingham, possibly made in London or Bermuda, 1940 |
| Physical description | Man's single-breasted suit of mustard-coloured check (Glen Urquhart or Prince of Wales check) wool. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Credit line | Given by the Duke of Windsor |
| Object history | Worn by HRH The Duke of Windsor (formerly Edward VIII) |
| Association | |
| Summary | The lounge suit dominated men's dress from the 1920s onwards. It was worn at events and in places where in previous decades more formal attire would have been required. By 1940s men were wearing lounge suits with a pullover in place of a waistcoat. Pullovers were previously worn for informal and sporting occasions but they gradually became integrated into mainstream fashion. This suit was worn by HRH The Duke of Windsor. As Prince of Wales he had been crowned King Edward VIII in 1936, but he abdicated the same year and took the title of The Duke of Windsor. The Duke was acknowledged internationally as the leader of men's fashion. He rebelled against the stiff formality of dress and became famous for his casual style. Using the best London and New York tailors, he continued to be adventurous in his love of bright colour, strong texture and bold pattern. The Duke gave this suit to Sir Cecil Beaton, who was then collecting fashionable dress for his 1971 exhibition, Fashion: An Anthology. |
| Bibliographic reference | Fashion : An Anthology by Cecil Beaton. London : H.M.S.O., 1971
402 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.717&A-1974 |
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| Record created | December 15, 1999 |
| Record URL |
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