{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1221086"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1221086/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2013GM5302/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2013GM5302/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2013GM5302","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1221086/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1221086","accessionNumber":"S.887-1983","objectType":"Costume design","titles":[{"title":"A Tragedy of Fashion","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"Costume design by Sophie Fedorovitch for the outfit ‘Volupté du désert’ or ‘Le Sporran’ modelled by Marie Rambert in Frederick Ashton’s ballet<i> A Tragedy of Fashion</i> added to the revue <i>Riverside Nights</i> at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith on 15 June 1926 where it received 50 performances. It was danced to Eugene Goossen’s <i>Kaleidoscope</i> (1917) arranged by Ernest Irving\r\n\r\n<i>A Tragedy of Fashion or The Scarlet Scissors</i> was a small-scale work that reflected the influence of Ballets Russes productions that Ashton had seen, notably <i>Les Biches</i> and <i>Boutique fantasque</i>, and was regarded as some (within it’s context of performance with a revue as a burlesque on the Russian company). It has assumed great importance as it is regarded as the work that marks the start of Twentieth Century British Ballet. The idea for the ballet was put forward by Marie Rambert’s husband Ashley Dukes inspired by letters written by Madame de Sévignée concerning the French chef, Vatel, who died by suicide because of his shame that a fish dish did not arrive in time for Louis XIV. Given the Ballets Russes had produced <i>The Good-Humoured Ladies</i> with a theme of food Dukes repurposed the narrative around fashion. In the ballet M. Duchic (played by Ashton) kills himself with his cutting scissors when his fashions fail to please his customers.\n\r\n<i>A Tragedy of Fashion</i> was Ashton’s first ballet and he was invited to choreograph it when he made suggestions about how M. Duchic should move. Ninette de Valois saw the work and congratulated Rambert on discovering ‘a real choreographer’. The designs in the programme are credited to F.E.D. Ashton would have like Chanel to design the work but Rambert pointed out they could not afford her and anyway had reservations about fashion designers working for the stage. Instead, she introduced her friend Sophie Fedorovitch who created a setting of mirrored screens overhung with a vast pair of scissors and clothes for the models that were fashionably up-to-date. It launched the major collaboration between choreographer and designer that continued until Fedorovitch’s death in 1953.\n\r\nMarie Rambert danced the role of Orchidée, assistant to M. Duchic. Initially she wore an asymmetrically geometric dress of blue, black and silver (S.894-1983) but would later change to model ‘Volupté du désert’ or ‘Le Sporran’. In this ‘mannish outfit’ of a gold-green jacket and divided skirt she turned cartwheels and did the splits to the horror of the clients she was trying to impress.\r\n","physicalDescription":"Costume design.  Original design laid on support paper.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Fedorovitch, Sophie","id":"A4752"},"association":{"text":"costume designers","id":"AAT163428"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"pencil","id":"THES398741"},{"text":"watercolour (paint)","id":"AAT15045"},{"text":"paint","id":"AAT15029"},{"text":"gouache","id":"AAT70114"},{"text":"paper (fiber product)","id":"AAT14109"}],"techniques":[{"text":"drawing","id":"AAT54196"},{"text":"painting (image-making)","id":"AAT54216"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Pencil, watercolour, gold paint and gouache on paper","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Designs","id":"THES48968"},{"text":"Dance","id":"THES252984"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2013GM5302"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"CAGE","id":"THES49689"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"costume design","id":"AAT163423"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1926","earliest":"1921-01-01","latest":"1930-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"S.471-1985","id":"O111820"},"association":"Object"}],"creditLine":"Bequeathed by Dame Marie Rambert","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"43.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"maximum dimension","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"26","unit":"cm","qualifier":"maximum dimension","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"52.2","unit":"cm","qualifier":"support paper maximum dimension","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"36","unit":"cm","qualifier":"support paper maximum dimension","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Designs mounted in pairs, in Imperial size mounts.","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"\"Tragedy of Fashion / First ballet by Frederick Ashton (1926) / Music by Goossens / Decor and costumes by Sophie Fedorovitch\"\r\n","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Inscription is on the reverse of the design, in pencil.  It was probably made at a later date to the design."}],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Costume design by Sophie Fedorovitch (1893-1953) worn by Marie Rambert (1888-1982)  in Frederick Ashton's ballet <i>A Tragedy of Fashion</i>, in Riverside Nights at Lyric Hammersmith, 15th June 1926","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.887-1983"],"accessionNumberNum":"887","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":1983,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-02-18","recordCreationDate":"2011-05-12","availableToBook":false}}