Ensemble consisting of a claret-red wool suit, blue-grey silk crepe de chine blouse, and silk jersey hat

Claret-red wool suit, pale blue-grey silk crepe de chine blouse, and Lachasse silk jersey hat.

Of maroon face cloth. 5 tailored gimp buttonholes (not feminine bound New Look buttonholes). It is fitted with a decorative wedge shaped double flap at the hips, which still have the tacks under them. These are heavily canvassed underneath for shape with horsehair and crinoline. Lined with matching silk. The label is stitched at the centre back neck.

A. Is the matching skirt, straight in front with a band of narrow stitched pleats at the centre back. Lined in maroon silk and fastening with a zip a the hip. Pettersham ribbon shaped to waist and hand finished.

B. Is the hat, a small turban of draped black and maroon jersey. Marked 'Lachasse, London'.

C. Is the blouse of pale blue silk with a small Peter Pan collar. it is trimmed with self coloured hem stitching an tucking. it fastens with buttons a the centre back and is marked 'Givans, 112/114, New Bond Street, W.1'.

Worn by Mrs Ralph Dent and given by Mrs M. Webster

Mr Owen - known as 'Owen at Lachasse' - was designer at Lachasse from 1953, when Michael Donéllan left to open his own house. Owen designed this claret-red wool suit chosen by Mrs Dent. The V&A originally dated this suit to around 1948 but research in the sales ledgers of the Lachasse archive [in the AAD] reveals that it was in fact purchased in May 1954. The suit cost £58.6s (about £1,200 by 2006 prices) and the hat £10.10s (about £200). The ledgers show that Mrs Dent and her daughter placed regular orders for coats, suits, dresses and hats, and also had several alterations undertaken between 1938 and 1955.

The blouse from Givans: a small scale London couturier / fashion house. Established by Mr. Givan in the 1920s or 30s to sell fine Irish linen goods. Created the wedding dress and trousseau for Mary, youngest daughter of Winston Churchill, and outfits for the Colvilles, who accompanied Lord Mountbatten as last Vice Roy to India. Located on the corner of New Bond St and Brook St, London.

The fashion doll, 'Miss Virginia Lachasse' [Fashion Museum, Bath], created by Lachasse in 1954, wears a blue tweed suit and jersey turban of a similar style.

A meticulously tailored but perfectly plain suit is transformed by carefully engineered details. The focus on this jacket is the double-flared panels which draw attention to the hips. The long straight skirt has a central block of kick pleats at the back, which allow ease of movement. The suit is completed by a matching turban-style hat in claret and black, and a hand-embroidered silk blouse in delicate blue-grey.

T.214-1976