{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1807164"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1807164/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2026PN1019/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2026PN1019/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2026PN1019","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2026PN6044","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2026PN1020","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2026PN1021","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1807164/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1807164","accessionNumber":"T.135-2025","objectType":"Dress","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"","physicalDescription":"Dress, long lightly bloused sleeves ending in wrist cuffs and high necked shirtwaist bodice with ruffled stand collar, shaped waistband and long skirt with deep flounce around hem from knee height, with a deep ruffle of cream lace attached to the underslip and visible beneath the flounce. Yoke, cuffs and wristband lightly quilted with parallel rows of top-stitching, sleeves with a narrow band of sheer insertion lace down the outside edge. The dress is made from two slightly different striped patterns of tone-on-tone cream silk, creating a very subtle variation.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Kofi Ansah","id":"AUTH403694"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"silk","id":"AAT243428"},{"text":"lace","id":"AAT132861"}],"techniques":[{"text":"sewing","id":"AAT53658"},{"text":"quilting","id":"AAT53656"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"silk","categories":[{"text":"Fashion","id":"THES48957"},{"text":"African diaspora","id":"THES48873"},{"text":"Womenswear","id":"THES49044"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&F","id":"THES48601"},"images":["2026PN1019","2026PN6044","2026PN1020","2026PN1021"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"005","id":"THES385808"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"dresses","id":"AAT46159"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"No","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"designed and made","id":"x39722"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1979","earliest":"1979-01-01","latest":"1979-12-31"},"association":{"text":"designed and made","id":"x39722"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Jane Shortall","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"135","unit":"cm","qualifier":"approximate","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"The donor commissioned this dress from Kofi Ansah in 1979 on the advice of a friend of hers who worked at Liberty and said 'I know this guy, Kofi Ansah, he's just beginning, and I'm sure he can do something fabulous for you.' At this time, Ansah was just beginning as a small, independent designer who did freelance design work  for Guy Laroche and London ready-to-wear brands like Cecil Gee before formally launching his own company in 1981.\n\nThe donor describes the experience: 'He was just beginning, really, and he had a small team at the time. I was born in Ireland, and they just thought this cream would do for me. And Kofi asked me to bring some pictures of stuff that I liked, and he would work from them. My friend was very, very into fashion and into Liberty, and all his friends worked in places like Herbie Frogg. I was out of my depth, with everyone screaming darling at each other in restaurants. I was just in the studio and I had never seen anything like that, it was so beautiful. And of course, it was before phones, and I wouldn't dream of asking them to take a picture. I remember Kofi measuring my wrist, just measuring from here to here, writing everything down because I had never had a fitting. My friend brought the dress home, and I went out wearing it. So, there's lovely stories to it, that's why I do love it.'","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Cream silk and lace dress, 1979, Kofi Ansah, London.","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"Bespoke","id":"THES409218"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["T.135-2025"],"accessionNumberNum":"135","accessionNumberPrefix":"T","accessionYear":2025,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-08-27","recordCreationDate":"2025-07-30","availableToBook":true}}