1. V&A Shop
  2. Books
  3. Fashion & textiles
  4. London Couture: British Luxury 1923-1975

London Couture: British Luxury 1923-1975

£50

Only 3 available

Your product successfully added to bag

Free UK delivery on orders £60 and over

An academically rigorous and beautiful new publication on a crucial chapter in fashion history London Couture is the first book to examine, in detail, the luxurious garments produced by the rarefied London couture industry - from lavish ballgowns to sharply tailored suits and spectacular court dress - as well as the designers who conceived them, their clients and the prestigious publications that disseminated and promoted the 'London Look' to an international audience. Expert authors from around the world have delved into museum collections, as well as the archives of prestigious designers, textile suppliers and fashionable journals, to bring together this pioneering study of the London couture houses of the early to midtwentieth century, renowned for their superb craftsmanship and attention to detail.

The full breadth of London's offering is examined, from royal favourite Norman Hartnell to pioneer Charles James, and prestigious houses such as Lucile, Worth and Hardy Amies. The ancillary dressmaking trades in London are also considered, as are the international markets for London couture, and the impact of royal dress on high-end fashion. A wealth of visual material supports the extensive, original research - from beautiful features by celebrated photographer Norman Parkinson to the elegant illustrations of Francis Marshall. Previously unseen garments are illustrated throughout the book, alongside historical photography that documents the houses of the great designers, their favoured fabrics and their most glamorous clients, including Queen Elizabeth II, Margot Fonteyn, and many stars of stage and screen.

Author/Artist/Designer

Edwina Ehrman and Amy de la Haye

Pages

344

Dimensions

25.4cm x 3.18cm x 29.53cm

ISBN

9781851778508

Colour

Product code

131549

Book Format

Hardback

Delivery

 

Our standard delivery charges and estimated timescales are as follows. Selected product exceptions apply; see product details. International deliveries may also be subject to customs fees or taxes upon arrival, which are your responsibility.

Please note: New orders are now likely to arrive after Christmas. For last minute gifts, visit our museum shops until 23 Dec, or explore our digital options such as V&A Membership.

 

Standard delivery per order
UK
£5 – or FREE for orders over £60
3-6 working days
Europe
£20
6-10 working days
Rest of World
£30
10-14 working days

Custom prints

 

Each print is made to order and dispatched separately to other V&A Shop products, for UK delivery only. The charges and estimated timescales below are in addition to our standard delivery charge when bought together with a V&A Shop product. However, delivery is free for all orders over £60.

Custom print delivery (UK only)
Unframed
£9 per order – or FREE for orders over £60
6-10 working days
Framed
£15 per print – or FREE for orders over £60
6-10 working days

 

Returns

 

An extended returns window is granted over the Christmas period. Orders placed from Friday 1 November 2024 can be returned until Monday 20 January 2025.

We hope you are happy with your V&A Shop purchase. However, if you are not, most items are eligible for a full refund, subject to the criteria below. Refunds are offered for items in an unused, unopened condition, and with original packaging – with the following exceptions. This does not affect your statutory rights.

The following items are excluded from our returns policy and cannot be refunded unless faulty, damaged, or not as described:

  1. Custom prints and other items made to your specification or personalised;
  2. Items that have been sealed for hygiene reasons, where the seal has been broken, such as beauty products, soap, pierced earrings, hosiery, socks, sunglasses and face coverings;
  3. Perishable or edible items such as flowers or food;
  4. Memberships, tickets for exhibitions, bookings for events and courses.

 

For full details, visit our Delivery & Returns page.

About the author

Edwina Ehrman

Edwina Ehrman is a Curator of Textiles and Fashion at the V&A and curator of the exhibition, The Wedding Dress: 300 Years of Bridal Fashions. She was a co-author of The London Look: Fashion from Street to Catwalk (2004) and a contributor to The Englishness of English Dress (2002).