{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O138933"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O138933/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2012FV0192/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2012FV0192/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2012FV0192","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2012FV0193","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2012FV0194","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AU3347","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O138933/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O138933","accessionNumber":"T.265-1974","objectType":"Evening dress","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"The designs of Norman Hartnell for Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother) are among his best known. He first met Elizabeth in 1935, and continued making clothes for her until his death in 1979. Among the many beautiful state gowns was this 1953 gown in ivory satin, featuring Hartnell's trademark of intricately detailed beading in a design of blue flowers. The skirt spreads out over a bell-shaped crinoline, a look which Hartnell first designed for Elizabeth in 1937, and which became her traditional evening look.\r\n\r\nIn 1937, the new king, George VI asked Hartnell to create a new regal wardrobe for his wife. Hartnell's gowns included crinolines inspired by 1860s portraits of European royalty such as Elizabeth, Empress of Austria and the Empress Eugenie of France. This romantic, beautifully detailed and feminine look perfectly suited Queen Elizabeth and defined the style of clothing that she would wear as a key member of the British Royal Family.","physicalDescription":"State evening dress of white silk satin with aquamarine and turquoise beaded embroidery in a frosted flower design. With a fichu collar around low neckline, and decorative panels trimmed with pleated net on the full crinoline skirt.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Hartnell, Norman","id":"A2188"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"silk satin","id":"x33509"},{"text":"beads","id":"x32809"},{"text":"net","id":"AAT249438"}],"techniques":[{"text":"embroidery","id":"x40351"},{"text":"hand beading","id":"x34622"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Silk satin with beaded embroidery, trimmed with pleated net","categories":[{"text":"Royalty","id":"THES48899"},{"text":"Fashion","id":"THES48957"},{"text":"Evening wear","id":"THES48999"},{"text":"Formal wear","id":"THES48950"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&F","id":"THES48601"},"images":["2012FV0192","2012FV0193","2012FV0194","2006AU3347"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"009","id":"THES307866"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"State evening dress","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1953","earliest":"1953-01-01","latest":"1953-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother","dimensions":[],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Worn by her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"State evening dress of embroidered silk satin, designed by Norman Hartnell, London, 1953.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"de la Haye, A., 'Material Eveidence' in Wilcox, C., ed., <i>The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947-57</i> (V&A Publications, London), pl.4.13"},{"reference":{"text":"<i>Fashion : An Anthology by Cecil Beaton</i>. London : H.M.S.O., 1971","id":"AUTH354373"},"details":"no. 155","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"Haute couture","id":"THES48861"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Norman HArtnell designed this state evening dress for Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. The crinoline dress, with its V-shaped neckline and delicate tulle cap-sleeves, recalls mid-19th-century dresses as seen in the portraits of Franz Winterhalter.\r\nIn his biography, Hartnell recorded his trip to Buckingham Palace, when first invited in 1937 to design for the then Queen Elizabeth. George VI showed the designer the Winterhalter portraits in the royal collection and suggsted that 'I should attempt to capture this picturesque grace in the dresses I was to design for the queen'.\r\nThe crinoline silhouette became a favourite of the Queen Mother and throughout her lifetime she continued to wear variations of this dress type in her evening attire.","date":{"text":"25/07/2012","earliest":"2012-07-25","latest":"2012-07-25"}}],"partNumbers":["T.265-1974"],"accessionNumberNum":"265","accessionNumberPrefix":"T","accessionYear":1974,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-05-08","recordCreationDate":"2007-09-04","availableToBook":false}}