By: Briana Muller, Spring 2020 London Correspondent
The Victoria and Albert Museum is located in central London. It is the world's largest museum of applied and decorative arts and design, as it houses a permanent collection of over 2.27 million objects. Founded in 1852, this museum was named after Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. For anyone who’s interested in fashion, and wants to learn more about London fashion, this is a perfect museum to visit. The Victoria and Alert fashion collection is located in room 40. This collection covers over five centuries of fashion history, making it the largest and most comprehensive fashion collection in the world. The collection primarily consists of styles from the 18th century onwards and contians European fashion and accessories for men and women. The collection consists of many 1960s daywear and post-war couture, 1930’s evening wear, 18th century ‘mantua’ dresses and 17th century gowns. Some of the more valuable pieces include 19th century dresses for the social elite in India, China and Japan. There is a wide range of accessories from across the world, including footwear and hats.
One of the collections I had the chance to see when I visited the Victoria and Albert Museum was “the Golden Age of Couture.” In 1939, there were seventy registered couture houses in Paris. One of thesewas the launch of Christian Dior’s New Look on February 12, 1947. This was a significant decade for the designer, which is why the collection is referred to as the “Golden Age”. War occupied Pairs where private clients dispersed, international sales almost ceased and many couturiers closed. The Germans planned to move couture to Berlin but Lucien Lelong, president of the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne, objected, saying, "It is in Paris or it is nowhere". This was the birth of a new era of high fashion.
Dior’s luscious collection was in contrast to the masculine wartime fashions. The designs featured sloping shoulders, a full bust and a cinched-in waist above long skirts. It was named on the spot by Carmel Snow, editor of American Harper's Bazaar, as the 'New Look'. London couturier John Cavanagh described the style as 'a total glorification of the female form'. My personal favorite from the collection was ‘The New Look’ jacket. ‘The New Look’ jacket was not baggy like a normal coat, it actually would fit one’s figure perfectly. The amount of fabric required to create a New Look garment caused outrage in London, because rationing was still in place. Dior showed his collection in secret to Queen Elizabeth II and other members of the royal family at the French Embassy in London. Although initially condemned by the British Board of Trade, the ‘New Look’ gained widespread popularity. After Princess Margaret wore it, people were attracted by its femininity and youth.
London was famous for its formal state gowns created by dressmakers and designers like Hardy Amies. The production of couture was important for the prestige and economy in both France and Britain. Couture in this time catered to wealthy clients but sought new markets to expand its customers. Quickly after, couture houses created perfumes and opened boutiques while licensing their designs to foreign manufacturers. By the end of the 1950’s, leading couture houses, such as Chanel and Balenciaga, became global brands
Dior died in 1957, which brought the “Golden Age” to an end. With the changing social and economic climate, fashion moved from couture houses to the streets and boutiques. Today, the artistry and craftsmanship survives in the remaining grand houses of Paris and the workshops of Savile Row.
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