{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O74953"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O74953/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AP3338/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AP3338/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AP3338","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AP3337","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O74953","accessionNumber":"T.238-1986","objectType":"Cocktail dress","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Norman Hartnell was best known as the couturier to the British royal family. Throughout the late 1940s and 1950s he designed a wide range of clothes that Princess Margaret wore for her official duties. This evening dress is made in a heavy black ribbed silk called grosgrain. It shows the Princess's taste for uncluttered simple lines with the minimum of decoration. Here just the shoulder straps are embroidered with silvered beads and diamantés. The skirt is the most important feature. It is constructed in ten panels and finished with bold scallops at the hem. The heavy weight and density of the fabric holds the flared shape of the skirt and its wave-like folds.","physicalDescription":"Cocktail dress of thick black silk and wool faille lined with horsehair. The bodice is tight and moulded to a heart-shaped décolleté, and with shoulder straps embroidered with sequins and diamanté. The skirt falls in petal-shaped panels from the waist and creates a scalloped hem. The dress has no lining.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Hartnell, Norman","id":"A5860"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"AAT25190"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"faille","id":"AAT249448"},{"text":"wool (textile)","id":"AAT243430"},{"text":"diamanté","id":"x33303"},{"text":"horsehair","id":"AAT11819"},{"text":"silk (textile)","id":"AAT243428"},{"text":"sequins","id":"x30374"}],"techniques":[{"text":"embroidered","id":"AAT53653"},{"text":"lined","id":"AAT162124"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Silk and wool faille lined with horsehair, embroidered with sequins and diamanté","categories":[{"text":"Evening wear","id":"THES48999"},{"text":"Fashion","id":"THES48957"},{"text":"Royalty","id":"THES48899"},{"text":"Embroidery","id":"THES48960"},{"text":"Womenswear","id":"THES49044"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&F","id":"THES48601"},"images":["2006AP3338","2006AP3337"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"017","id":"THES311862"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Evening dress","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"No","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"early 1950s","earliest":"1950-01-01","latest":"1955-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by HRH Princess Margaret","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Width","value":"50","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"07/02/2020","earliest":"2020-02-07","latest":"2020-02-07"},"part":"","note":"Maximum Width on Stockman"},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"40","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"07/02/2020","earliest":"2020-02-07","latest":"2020-02-07"},"part":"","note":"Maximum Width on Stockman"},{"dimension":"Height","value":"1650","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"07/02/2020","earliest":"2020-02-07","latest":"2020-02-07"},"part":"","note":"Maximum Width on Stockman"}],"dimensionsNote":"UK size 12.","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Registered File number 1985/2045.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Cocktail dress of thick black silk and wool faille lined with horsehair, designed by N. Hartnell, London, early 1950s","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"de la Haye, A. 'Material Evidence' in Wilcox, C., ed. <u>The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947-1957</u> London: V&A Publications, 2007, p. 106 and pl. 4.16"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Mendes, Valerie. <u>Black In Fashion</u>. London: V&A Publications, 1999."}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"Haute couture","id":"THES48861"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Evening dress\r\nNorman Hartnell (1901-79)\r\nLondon\r\nEarly 1950s\r\n\r\nApart from mourning dress, it was unusual for the royal family to wear black. As Hartnell observed: 'As a rule, ladies of the Royal Family wear light coloured clothes because such colours are more discernible against a great crowd.' \r\n\r\nSilk and wool faille lined with horsehair, embroidered with sequins and diamante\r\n\r\nGiven by Princess Margaret\r\nV&A: T.238-1986","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null}}],"partNumbers":["T.238-1986"],"accessionNumberNum":"238","accessionNumberPrefix":"T","accessionYear":1986,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-06-05","recordCreationDate":"2003-02-24","availableToBook":false}}