The Bite Magazine - Spring Summer 2013

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Finally, from 20th September 2013 to
11th January 2014 The Fashion and Textile
Museum will be celebrating the work
of fashion visionaries Belinda Bellville
and David Sassoon. In the 1960s, the
duo established themselves as the go-to
couture houses for young, glamorous and
exclusive designs and offered an exciting
rich contextual material, the
exhibition will look at how
the formality of the post-war
years gave way to the Swinging
Sixties and a new generation of
aristocrats and celebrities who
wanted to be ‘seen’ in the new
fashion of the day.These include
a great demand for beautiful,
bespoke and fashionable
clothes to wear to the most
lavish coming-out parties, most
influential weddings and high
powered balls.
Amongst their clientele
of debutantes and new jet
celebrities including Jackie
Kennedy, Audrey Hepburn,
Elizabeth Taylor, Jerry Hall,
Helen Mirren and Madonna,
Bellville Sassoon has dressed
royal clients Princess Margaret,
Princess Anne, Princess Michael
of Kent and the Duchess of
York.They were also a favourite
of the late Princess Diana, and
designed her dynamic fairytale
1982 ball dress worn at the
Gonzaga Exhibition at the
V&A, as well as over 70 items
of clothing. The combination
of romantic fashion with high-
profile clients led to impressive
publicity and export sales,and in
1980 they expanded again when
Irish fashion designer Lorcan
Mullany further developed the
ready-to-wear business as well
as the association with Vogue
patterns. Today, the British
fashion salon at 18 Culford
Gardens in Chelsea continues
to be run by Lorcan Mullany,
under the direction of David
Sassoon.
All the above exhibitions are
organised by The Fashion and
Textiles Museum and will be
opened Tuesday to Saturday
from 11am-6pm with last
admission at 5.15pm. Visit
for
more information on these
exhibitions and other events
and courses.
The Fashion and Textile
Museum, 83 Bermondsey
Street, London SE1 3XF
Image credits: © Kaffe Fassett
Studio and © Zandra Rhodes
and Robyn Beech
Image credits: All © David
Sassoon. From The Glamour
of Bellville Sassoon by David
Sassoon and Sinty Stemp,
published by ACC Editions
David Sassoon
working with
Belinda Bellville
at Cadogan
Lane, 1962
‘On the Town’
fringed flapper
minidress, 1990
alternative to the conservative styles of
traditional couturiers thanks to their
fashion-forward approach and luxurious
workmanship.
The exhibition will explore the history
of British couture and Bellville Sassoon
from the 1950s to the present day. With
over 150 selected designs, dresses and
bite fashion exhibition