Shoe tidy with eight pockets in semi-opaque plastic printed with images of classical dancers, secured to a coat hanger, belonging to Dame Alicia Markova

Shoe tidy in semi-opaque plastic printed in white, pink, black and grey with repeating images of classical dancers, a couple in a theatre box, bouquets, fans and candelabra. At the top a 'shoulder' secured by a coat hanger and fastened with a press stud. The body is divided into eight pockets trimmed with pink tape.

Given by Dame Alicia Markova

This object is part of the travelling dressing room equipment owned by Dame Alicia Markova, and together they form a unique insight into the touring life of a star in the 1950s and 1960s. Plastic containers and accessories were only just becoming generally available and had considerable advantages over previously available leather and glass dressing room accessories, especially for a dancer travelling extensively and often in hot climates; they were light, easy to clean and could all be packed into two pieces of hand luggage.

S.369-1999