Design for an evening dress

Design for an evening dress with a fitted, sleeveless bodice with a low crossover neckline and two shoulder straps. The full length skirt is loose and pleated. Gathers and drapes on the bodice and skirt form a complicated sash effect at the side. The dress is of a floral design of white and yellow on a pinkish beige ground, which contrasts with the plain pinkish beige sash. The back view shows the crossover at the back of the bodice. The dress is worn with long white gloves.
Some words have been erased at the top left corner. It looks as if these are ‘beige, blossom, present’ and ‘effort’. Written in the lower left corner is ‘Sketch no 1/44’. Written on the back is ‘745 long’.
Fashion designer Victor Stiebel (1907-1976) was born in Durban in South Africa and came to Cambridge in 1924 to read architecture. After designing sets and costumes for the Footlights review, he decided to go into fashion design. Steibel started working for court dressmakers Reville in 1929. In 1932 he set up his own business at 21 Bruton Street in Mayfair. During World War II Stiebel enlisted in the Camouflage Division and also designed Utility clothing.
After the war, Stiebel worked for the Jacqmar fashion house in Grosvenor Street as Director of Couture, then in 1958 he re-opened his own establishment at 17 Cavendish Square. He retired in 1963 suffering from muscular sclerosis.
Stiebel produced romantic, understated clothes, specialising in evening wear and dressing high society figures and celebrities like Princess Margaret and Vivien Leigh.