{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1277294"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1277294/"}},"images":null,"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1277294","accessionNumber":"T.26:1&2-2014","objectType":"Skirt suit","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Michael Donéllan, also known as ‘Michael of Carlos Place’, was born in born in Dublin and trained as a surgeon before becoming a couturier. He started his career at Lachasse and opened his salon ‘Michael’ in Carlos Place in 1953.  Michael’s sculptural traditional tailoring with a twist, much admired by French couturiers, earned him the reputation for being ‘the Balenciaga of London’. In the 1960s his influence extended to the high street when he became an adviser to Marks & Spencer and worked to improve the cut and cloth used for mass manufactured clothes.\n\nThis bespoke skirt and jacket ensemble is a  good example of Michael Donellan’s sculptural tailoring and shows the influence of Dior’s 'New Look' in the flared hips and nipped-in waist of the jacket. The shoulders of the jacket are more square than sloping suggesting that this dates to the early 1950s when the shoulder pads popular in the 1940s were still influencial.  The double breasted button detail at the waist is a signature of Michael’s designs and can be seen in a later jacket and skirt in the collection T.52:1&2-1997","physicalDescription":"Bespoke tailored jacket and skirt of woven, dyed wool lined in dyed silk satin. The buttons are coloured plastic. ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Donéllan, Michael","id":"A7665"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"wool","id":"x40131"},{"text":"plastic","id":"AAT14570"},{"text":"silk satin","id":"x33509"}],"techniques":[{"text":"sewing","id":"AAT53658"},{"text":"tailoring","id":"x39134"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"wool lined in silk satin; plastic buttons","categories":[{"text":"Fashion","id":"THES48957"},{"text":"Day wear","id":"THES49000"},{"text":"Womenswear","id":"THES49044"},{"text":"Clothing","id":"THES48975"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&F","id":"THES48601"},"images":[],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"016","id":"THES305794"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"016","id":"THES305794"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Jacket","id":""}],[{"text":"Skirt","id":"AAT209932"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""},{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"early 1950s","earliest":"1950-01-01","latest":"1955-12-31"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Romayne Wood","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"67","unit":"cm","qualifier":"jacket shoulder to hem","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"41.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"jacket","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"79","unit":"cm","qualifier":"skirt, waist to hem","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"35.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"skirt, waist","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Blue tailored wool jacket and skirt, Michael Donnéllan, early 1950s","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["T.26:1-2014","T.26:2-2014"],"accessionNumberNum":"26","accessionNumberPrefix":"T","accessionYear":2014,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-09","recordCreationDate":"2013-12-17","availableToBook":true}}