1950s Norman Hartnell Couture Black Lace Tulle Evening Dress

This exceptionally made evening dress was created in the 1950s by celebrated British couturier Norman Hartnell. Couture-crafted to a classic mid-century silhouette, it combines a closely fitted, corseted bodice with a wonderfully full skirt built from multiple layers of lace and tulle. The black lace-covered bodice has a sweetheart neckline framed by wide black velvet straps.

Internally, extensive boning supports and shapes the body, creating a tightly defined waist. The skirt is particularly beautifully constructed, with layers of finely pleated black tulle and lace creating a voluminous, softly ruffled silhouette. The lavish layering gives the dress a pleasing weight and movement while retaining an airy appearance. Both the bodice and skirt are backed in firm black crepe, adding further structure.

At the back, the dress fastens with a tonal zip, partially concealed beneath a pleated tulle overlay which closes separately with snap fastenings and hook-and-eyes. The complexity of the internal construction and finishing is a superb example of Hartnell’s couture workmanship.

The dress is in superb archival condition with no issues at all - remarkable given its age but that is testament to the craftmanship and quality of the fabrics - it presents beautifully. As a couture garment it was made to measure rather than produced to a standard size. We believe it is best suited to approximately a UK 10 or US 6, with a relatively small waist. Please refer to the sizing information below to ensure the best fit.

Notes on Designer: Norman Hartnell founded his London couture house in 1923 and became the great showman of British fashion, renowned for romantic evening gowns, lavish embroidery and dresses designed to make an entrance. His 1933 wedding gown for society beauty Margaret Whigham, later the Duchess of Argyll, featured an extraordinary 18-foot train and attracted such crowds to Brompton Oratory that traffic around Hyde Park was brought to a standstill.

Royal patronage soon placed Hartnell at the centre of British couture. He received his formal appointment as dressmaker to the Royal Family in 1935 and went on to create some of the most famous clothes of the twentieth century. He designed Princess Elizabeth’s richly embroidered wedding gown in 1947 and, six years later, her Coronation gown, decorated with floral emblems representing the countries of the Commonwealth. Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret were also important patrons.

Hartnell’s influence reached far beyond royal dressing. His glamorous, full-skirted eveningwear helped establish London as a serious couture centre in its own right, while his combination of theatricality, intricate handwork and unapologetic luxury made his clothes instantly desirable to the society women of the period. Today his work is held by institutions including the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Royal Collection.

MEASUREMENTS

BUST - 36 in. (92 cm)

WAIST - 28 in. (71 cm)

HIP - 44 in. (112 cm)

LENGTH - 51 in. (130 cm)