Michael Pick
CHAPTER ONE
HARDY PERENNIAL
CHAPTER ONE
HARDY PERENNIAL
Hardy Perennial
Hardy Perennial Amies’s predecessor at Lachasse, Digby Morton, had left to found his own successful House. Amies credits him with having revolutionised the design and concept of women’s suits (then and often now referred to as ‘coats and skirts’) in a manner which meant that they could be worn on the moors or for lunch at the Ritz equally. New softer tweeds were available, Amies liking those of the famous Linton Mills. Soon after his arrival as the new manager on 1 February 1934, Amies realised his own designing capabilities on examining the last Lachasse collections and thinking hard for almost two years about their construction, as he later wrote: ‘The suits that Morton had made in his last year with us had a comparatively short, high-waisted jacket, buttoning slightly above the natural waist-line. One day I realised that if you lower the waist-line to its lowest possible point, you have a much longer line from under the armhole to the waist, which gives you much more room to move when in action and makes the jacket lie almost peacefully on its own when you are still, avoiding the buttonedup and restricted look of a high waist.’ In order to counter-balance the top-heavy padded shoulders then fashionable, Amies lengthened jackets, giving emphasis to the hips, unfashionable for many years. For decades thereafter, women relied upon foundation garments to achieve ‘ideal’ dimension. Amies successfully redefined the design of women’s day-wear and by 1939 Vogue illustrated his corseted figure, as a tendency in fashion evolution, which Dior came to make his own with the New Look.
Embroidery was not undertaken in-house, but by the firm of Lock & Company. The Amies designs might show an idea of the embroidery envisaged, but this most usually evolved in discussions with Mr Lock, who would then submit samples for further approval, before the dress or sections of it were taken to his workrooms.
Hardy Amies knew that he was taken seriously as a designer when he read his own name in the press rather than that of Lachasse, his employer for barely three years. By April 1937, he was an established worldfamous designer given full illustrated coverage in Vogue for his innovative woman’s suit, wittily named ‘Panic’, a reference to the growing German threat to world peace and quite possibly with a hopeful Amies sub-text of the commotion caused to those designing women’s suits by his own subtle innovations. London couture Houses buzzed in 1937. It was Coronation Year for King George VI and his Queen Consort Elizabeth (not yet a firm Norman Hartnell client), and the attention of the world was on London, not least on Mayfair couture clothes by American store buyers and their clients. The Abdication Crisis involved a chic American woman and everyone was fascinated to learn of the clothes of the new Queen. It was highly unlikely that Lachasse or the 28-year-old Mr Amies would be patronised by her, but his clothes were sought after by a young clientele, and Americans, too. London hummed with social activity and order-books were full.
12
Hardy Amies knew from the beginning that a wedding provides the best opportunity to display every facet of creative skill on the drawing board – and, subsequently, in the work-room – to great numbers of potential new clients and to the press. The wedding dress and going-away outfit, the bridesmaids, mother, and families were (and are) used to ordering from one designer in order to achieve a sense of dress harmony to the occasion. In the 1930s, society weddings were quite usually held in fashionable central London churches and provided a form of street theatre to thousands of onlookers, the wedding dress attracting great news mainly in suits and sleek day or evening dresses, Lachasse was not yet known for wedding dresses, but, by the late 1930s, Amies was favoured with orders. It was mainly in the 1950s that his talents came to the fore, most notably with the wedding of Miss Jane McNeill to Lord Dalkeith, later Duke of Buccleuch. Miss McNeill had been a mannequin at Norman Hartnell, but it was to Hardy Amies that she came for the wedding dress worn at St
Embroidery was not undertaken in-house, but by the firm of Lock & Company. The Amies designs might show an idea of the embroidery envisaged, but this most usually evolved in discussions with Mr Lock, who would then submit samples for further approval, before the dress or sections of it were taken to his workrooms.
13
Hardy Perennial
Hardy Perennial Amies’s predecessor at Lachasse, Digby Morton, had left to found his own successful House. Amies credits him with having revolutionised the design and concept of women’s suits (then and often now referred to as ‘coats and skirts’) in a manner which meant that they could be worn on the moors or for lunch at the Ritz equally. New softer tweeds were available, Amies liking those of the famous Linton Mills. Soon after his arrival as the new manager on 1 February 1934, Amies realised his own designing capabilities on examining the last Lachasse collections and thinking hard for almost two years about their construction, as he later wrote: ‘The suits that Morton had made in his last year with us had a comparatively short, high-waisted jacket, buttoning slightly above the natural waist-line. One day I realised that if you lower the waist-line to its lowest possible point, you have a much longer line from under the armhole to the waist, which gives you much more room to move when in action and makes the jacket lie almost peacefully on its own when you are still, avoiding the buttonedup and restricted look of a high waist.’ In order to counter-balance the top-heavy padded shoulders then fashionable, Amies lengthened jackets, giving emphasis to the hips, unfashionable for many years. For decades thereafter, women relied upon foundation garments to achieve ‘ideal’ dimension. Amies successfully redefined the design of women’s day-wear and by 1939 Vogue illustrated his corseted figure, as a tendency in fashion evolution, which Dior came to make his own with the New Look.
Embroidery was not undertaken in-house, but by the firm of Lock & Company. The Amies designs might show an idea of the embroidery envisaged, but this most usually evolved in discussions with Mr Lock, who would then submit samples for further approval, before the dress or sections of it were taken to his workrooms.
Hardy Amies knew that he was taken seriously as a designer when he read his own name in the press rather than that of Lachasse, his employer for barely three years. By April 1937, he was an established worldfamous designer given full illustrated coverage in Vogue for his innovative woman’s suit, wittily named ‘Panic’, a reference to the growing German threat to world peace and quite possibly with a hopeful Amies sub-text of the commotion caused to those designing women’s suits by his own subtle innovations. London couture Houses buzzed in 1937. It was Coronation Year for King George VI and his Queen Consort Elizabeth (not yet a firm Norman Hartnell client), and the attention of the world was on London, not least on Mayfair couture clothes by American store buyers and their clients. The Abdication Crisis involved a chic American woman and everyone was fascinated to learn of the clothes of the new Queen. It was highly unlikely that Lachasse or the 28-year-old Mr Amies would be patronised by her, but his clothes were sought after by a young clientele, and Americans, too. London hummed with social activity and order-books were full.
12
Hardy Amies knew from the beginning that a wedding provides the best opportunity to display every facet of creative skill on the drawing board – and, subsequently, in the work-room – to great numbers of potential new clients and to the press. The wedding dress and going-away outfit, the bridesmaids, mother, and families were (and are) used to ordering from one designer in order to achieve a sense of dress harmony to the occasion. In the 1930s, society weddings were quite usually held in fashionable central London churches and provided a form of street theatre to thousands of onlookers, the wedding dress attracting great news mainly in suits and sleek day or evening dresses, Lachasse was not yet known for wedding dresses, but, by the late 1930s, Amies was favoured with orders. It was mainly in the 1950s that his talents came to the fore, most notably with the wedding of Miss Jane McNeill to Lord Dalkeith, later Duke of Buccleuch. Miss McNeill had been a mannequin at Norman Hartnell, but it was to Hardy Amies that she came for the wedding dress worn at St
Embroidery was not undertaken in-house, but by the firm of Lock & Company. The Amies designs might show an idea of the embroidery envisaged, but this most usually evolved in discussions with Mr Lock, who would then submit samples for further approval, before the dress or sections of it were taken to his workrooms.
13
CHAPTER TWO
LEARNING AT LACHASSE
CHAPTER TWO
LEARNING AT LACHASSE
Learning at Lachasse
Learning at Lachasse
Embroidery was not undertaken in-house, but by the firm of Lock & Company. The Amies designs might show an idea of the embroidery envisaged, but this most usually evolved in discussions with Mr Lock, who would then submit samples for further approval, before the dress or sections of it were taken to his workrooms. Embroidery was not undertaken in-house, but by the firm of Lock & Company. The Amies designs might show an idea of the embroidery envisaged, but this most usually evolved in discussions with Mr Lock, who would then submit samples for further approval, before the dress or sections of it were taken to his workrooms. Embroidery was not undertaken in-house, but by the firm of Lock & Company. The Amies designs might show an idea of the embroidery envisaged, but this most usually evolved in discussions with Mr Lock, who would then submit samples for further approval, before the dress or sections of it were taken to his workrooms.
Hardy Amies knew that he was taken seriously as a designer when he read his own name in the press rather than that of Lachasse, his employer for barely three years. By April 1937, he was an established world-famous designer given full illustrated coverage in Vogue for his innovative woman’s suit, wittily named ‘Panic’, a reference to the growing German threat to world peace and quite possibly with a hopeful Amies sub-text of the commotion caused to those designing women’s suits by his own subtle innovations. London couture Houses buzzed in 1937. It was Coronation Year for King George VI and his Queen Consort Elizabeth (not yet a firm Norman Hartnell client), and the attention of the world was on London, not least on Mayfair couture clothes by American store buyers and their clients. The Abdication Crisis involved a chic American woman and everyone was fascinated to learn of the clothes of the new Queen. It was highly unlikely that Lachasse or the 28-year-old Mr Amies would be patronised by her, but his clothes were sought after by a young clientele, and Americans, too. London hummed with social activity and order-books were full.
30
31
Learning at Lachasse
Learning at Lachasse
Embroidery was not undertaken in-house, but by the firm of Lock & Company. The Amies designs might show an idea of the embroidery envisaged, but this most usually evolved in discussions with Mr Lock, who would then submit samples for further approval, before the dress or sections of it were taken to his workrooms. Embroidery was not undertaken in-house, but by the firm of Lock & Company. The Amies designs might show an idea of the embroidery envisaged, but this most usually evolved in discussions with Mr Lock, who would then submit samples for further approval, before the dress or sections of it were taken to his workrooms. Embroidery was not undertaken in-house, but by the firm of Lock & Company. The Amies designs might show an idea of the embroidery envisaged, but this most usually evolved in discussions with Mr Lock, who would then submit samples for further approval, before the dress or sections of it were taken to his workrooms.
Hardy Amies knew that he was taken seriously as a designer when he read his own name in the press rather than that of Lachasse, his employer for barely three years. By April 1937, he was an established world-famous designer given full illustrated coverage in Vogue for his innovative woman’s suit, wittily named ‘Panic’, a reference to the growing German threat to world peace and quite possibly with a hopeful Amies sub-text of the commotion caused to those designing women’s suits by his own subtle innovations. London couture Houses buzzed in 1937. It was Coronation Year for King George VI and his Queen Consort Elizabeth (not yet a firm Norman Hartnell client), and the attention of the world was on London, not least on Mayfair couture clothes by American store buyers and their clients. The Abdication Crisis involved a chic American woman and everyone was fascinated to learn of the clothes of the new Queen. It was highly unlikely that Lachasse or the 28-year-old Mr Amies would be patronised by her, but his clothes were sought after by a young clientele, and Americans, too. London hummed with social activity and order-books were full.
30
31
Learning at Lachasse
Learning at Lachasse
Embroidery was not undertaken inhouse, but by the firm of Lock & Company. The Amies designs might show an idea of the embroidery envisaged, but this most usually evolved in discussions with Mr Lock, who would then submit samples for further approval, before the dress or sections of it were taken to his workrooms.
40
41
Learning at Lachasse
Learning at Lachasse
Embroidery was not undertaken inhouse, but by the firm of Lock & Company. The Amies designs might show an idea of the embroidery envisaged, but this most usually evolved in discussions with Mr Lock, who would then submit samples for further approval, before the dress or sections of it were taken to his workrooms.
40
41
CHAPTER THREE
FOR KING AND COUNTRY
CHAPTER THREE
FOR KING AND COUNTRY
Kenneth Fleetwood: In House
Embroidery was not undertaken in-house, but by the firm of Lock & Company. The Amies designs might show an idea of the embroidery envisaged, but this most usually evolved in discussions with Mr Lock, who would then submit samples for further approval, before the dress or sections of it were taken to his workrooms.
176
for almost two years about their construction, as he later wrote: ‘The suits that Morton had made in his last year with us had a comparatively short, high-waisted jacket, buttoning slightly above the natural waist-line. Hardy Amies knew that he was taken seriously as a designer when he read his own name in the press rather than that of Lachasse, his employer for barely three years. By April 1937, he was an established worldfamous designer given full illustrated coverage in Vogue for his innovative woman’s suit, wittily named ‘Panic’, a reference to the growing German threat to world peace and quite possibly with a hopeful Amies sub-text of the commotion caused to those designing women’s suits by his own subtle innovations.
Kenneth Fleetwood: In House
Embroidery was not undertaken in-house, but by the firm of Lock & Company. The Amies designs might show an idea of the embroidery envisaged, but this most usually evolved in discussions with Mr Lock, who would then submit samples for further approval, before the dress or sections of it were taken to his workrooms.
176
for almost two years about their construction, as he later wrote: ‘The suits that Morton had made in his last year with us had a comparatively short, high-waisted jacket, buttoning slightly above the natural waist-line. Hardy Amies knew that he was taken seriously as a designer when he read his own name in the press rather than that of Lachasse, his employer for barely three years. By April 1937, he was an established worldfamous designer given full illustrated coverage in Vogue for his innovative woman’s suit, wittily named ‘Panic’, a reference to the growing German threat to world peace and quite possibly with a hopeful Amies sub-text of the commotion caused to those designing women’s suits by his own subtle innovations.
CHAPTER SEVEN
QUEEN ELIZABETH II
CHAPTER SEVEN
QUEEN ELIZABETH II
Queen Elizabeth II
Queen Elizabeth II It was mainly in the 1950s that his talents came to the fore, most notably with the wedding of Miss Jane McNeill to Lord Dalkeith, later Duke of Buccleuch. Miss McNeill had been a mannequin at Norman Hartnell, but it was to Hardy Amies that she came for the wedding dress worn at St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh, on 10 January 1953. As Hartnell was creating a large number of royal dresses for the June coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, not least the coronation dress itself, it is understandable that any dress he might have designed would have been seen by the world as a precursor and attracted unwelcome publicity. Amies created one of his masterpieces; less a design wanted by the bride, as she later stated, and more her mother’s choice evolved in conversation with Amies. He knew that it had to stand up against the vast space of the cathedral in mid winter and that members of the royal family, including The Queen, Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, and Princess Margaret would all be present; undoubtedly, there would be at least two of them wearing Hartnell. Amies later said ‘a bride should always choose something classic over anything remotely gimmicky’, and the full-skirted, fashionable crinoline design with a simple bodice having long tight sleeves had the effect heightened by silver lace covering the design, so stitched as to be without any visible breaks. The wonderful result is timelessly beautiful, although of its period. Already patronised by The Queen, as Princess Elizabeth, since 1950, this highly publicised wedding conferred added status to Amies the designer and resulted in many more glamorous weddings, bringing financial benefits to his business. As the 1950s progressed, so his young assistant Kenneth Fleetwood took on more of the responsibility of designing for Amies clients. By the 1980s, he was joined in turn by another young designer, Jon Moore, who was asked in 1981 to sketch wedding dress designs for a ‘country bride’, although not told that this was Lady Diana Spencer, who was engaged to marry The Prince of Wales. With no more information, he designed a timeless dress that would not have stood up to the space of a vast cathedral wedding, but would have been perfect.
Embroidery was not undertaken in-house, but by the firm of Lock & Company. The Amies designs might show an idea of the embroidery envisaged, but this most usually evolved in discussions with Mr Lock, who would then submit samples for further approval, before the dress or sections of it were taken to his workrooms.
Hardy Amies knew that he was taken seriously as a designer when he read his own name in the press rather than that of Lachasse, his employer for barely three years. By April 1937, he was an established worldfamous designer given full illustrated coverage in Vogue for his innovative woman’s suit, wittily named ‘’, a reference to the growing German threat to world and quite possibly with a hopeful Amies sub-text of the commotion to those designing women’s suits by his own subtle innovations. Embroidery was not undertaken in-house, but by the firm of Lock & Company. The Amies designs might show an idea of the embroidery envisaged, but this most usually evolved in discussions with Mr Lock, who would then submit samples for further approval, before the dress or sections of it were taken to his workrooms.
188
London couture Houses buzzed in 1937. It was Coronation Year for King George VI and his Queen Consort Elizabeth (not yet a firm Norman Hartnell client), and the attention of the world was on London, not least on Mayfair couture clothes by American store buyers and their clients. The Abdication Crisis involved a chic American woman and everyone was fascinated to learn of the clothes of the new Queen. It was highly unlikely
that Lachasse or the 28-year-old Mr Amies would be patronised by her, but his clothes were sought after by a young clientele, and Americans, too. London hummed with social activity and order-books were full.Amies’s predecessor at Lachasse, Digby Morton, had left to found his own successful House. Amies credits him with having revolutionised the design and concept of women’s suits (then and often now referred to as ‘coats and skirts’) in a manner which meant that they could be worn on the moors
189
Queen Elizabeth II
Queen Elizabeth II It was mainly in the 1950s that his talents came to the fore, most notably with the wedding of Miss Jane McNeill to Lord Dalkeith, later Duke of Buccleuch. Miss McNeill had been a mannequin at Norman Hartnell, but it was to Hardy Amies that she came for the wedding dress worn at St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh, on 10 January 1953. As Hartnell was creating a large number of royal dresses for the June coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, not least the coronation dress itself, it is understandable that any dress he might have designed would have been seen by the world as a precursor and attracted unwelcome publicity. Amies created one of his masterpieces; less a design wanted by the bride, as she later stated, and more her mother’s choice evolved in conversation with Amies. He knew that it had to stand up against the vast space of the cathedral in mid winter and that members of the royal family, including The Queen, Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, and Princess Margaret would all be present; undoubtedly, there would be at least two of them wearing Hartnell. Amies later said ‘a bride should always choose something classic over anything remotely gimmicky’, and the full-skirted, fashionable crinoline design with a simple bodice having long tight sleeves had the effect heightened by silver lace covering the design, so stitched as to be without any visible breaks. The wonderful result is timelessly beautiful, although of its period. Already patronised by The Queen, as Princess Elizabeth, since 1950, this highly publicised wedding conferred added status to Amies the designer and resulted in many more glamorous weddings, bringing financial benefits to his business. As the 1950s progressed, so his young assistant Kenneth Fleetwood took on more of the responsibility of designing for Amies clients. By the 1980s, he was joined in turn by another young designer, Jon Moore, who was asked in 1981 to sketch wedding dress designs for a ‘country bride’, although not told that this was Lady Diana Spencer, who was engaged to marry The Prince of Wales. With no more information, he designed a timeless dress that would not have stood up to the space of a vast cathedral wedding, but would have been perfect.
Embroidery was not undertaken in-house, but by the firm of Lock & Company. The Amies designs might show an idea of the embroidery envisaged, but this most usually evolved in discussions with Mr Lock, who would then submit samples for further approval, before the dress or sections of it were taken to his workrooms.
Hardy Amies knew that he was taken seriously as a designer when he read his own name in the press rather than that of Lachasse, his employer for barely three years. By April 1937, he was an established worldfamous designer given full illustrated coverage in Vogue for his innovative woman’s suit, wittily named ‘’, a reference to the growing German threat to world and quite possibly with a hopeful Amies sub-text of the commotion to those designing women’s suits by his own subtle innovations. Embroidery was not undertaken in-house, but by the firm of Lock & Company. The Amies designs might show an idea of the embroidery envisaged, but this most usually evolved in discussions with Mr Lock, who would then submit samples for further approval, before the dress or sections of it were taken to his workrooms.
188
London couture Houses buzzed in 1937. It was Coronation Year for King George VI and his Queen Consort Elizabeth (not yet a firm Norman Hartnell client), and the attention of the world was on London, not least on Mayfair couture clothes by American store buyers and their clients. The Abdication Crisis involved a chic American woman and everyone was fascinated to learn of the clothes of the new Queen. It was highly unlikely
that Lachasse or the 28-year-old Mr Amies would be patronised by her, but his clothes were sought after by a young clientele, and Americans, too. London hummed with social activity and order-books were full.Amies’s predecessor at Lachasse, Digby Morton, had left to found his own successful House. Amies credits him with having revolutionised the design and concept of women’s suits (then and often now referred to as ‘coats and skirts’) in a manner which meant that they could be worn on the moors
189
Glamorous Wedding Dresses
Embroidery was not undertaken in-house, but by the firm of Lock & Company. The Amies designs might show an idea of the embroidery envisaged, but this most usually evolved in discussions with Mr Lock, who would then submit samples for further approval, before the dress or sections of it were taken to his workrooms.
230
Hardy Amies knew that he was taken seriously as a designer when he read his own name in the press rather than that of Lachasse, his employer for barely three years. By April 1937, he was an established worldfamous designer given full illustrated coverage in Vogue for his innovative woman’s suit, wittily named ‘’, a reference to the growing German threat to world and quite possibly with a hopeful Amies sub-text of the commotion to those designing women’s suits by his own subtle innovations.
w
Glamorous Wedding Dresses
Embroidery was not undertaken in-house, but by the firm of Lock & Company. The Amies designs might show an idea of the embroidery envisaged, but this most usually evolved in discussions with Mr Lock, who would then submit samples for further approval, before the dress or sections of it were taken to his workrooms.
230
Hardy Amies knew that he was taken seriously as a designer when he read his own name in the press rather than that of Lachasse, his employer for barely three years. By April 1937, he was an established worldfamous designer given full illustrated coverage in Vogue for his innovative woman’s suit, wittily named ‘’, a reference to the growing German threat to world and quite possibly with a hopeful Amies sub-text of the commotion to those designing women’s suits by his own subtle innovations.
w