Starburst dress

Silk evening dress, beaded with starburst motifs, 1999. Designed by Jasper Conran for Debenhams.

A millennium evening party dress designed by Jasper Conran for Debenhams available for Millennium Eve. The dress is a size 10 and cost £160.00. Description in the catalogue: "Beaded starburst motifs add a subtle shimmer to the pure silk fabric of Jasper Conran's silver evening dress. Bias-cut in two soft layers with the under layer in silver georgette, the dress has double beaded shoestring shoulder straps."

The dress is bias cut in two layers with the under dress made from silver georgette. It has beaded double shoestring shoulder straps. The dress was advertised in Debenhams' catalogue and cost £160. The Museum of London Friends of Fashion purchased the dress for the Museum's 'Collecting 2000' project, which was conceived to mark the Millennium. The group, who support and promote the Museum's dress collection, chose the dress as a typical example of the style of evening dress that a young woman might choose to wear to celebrate the start of the 21st century.

Jasper Conran launched his J Womenswear Collection designed for Debenhams in August 1996. His collaboration with the department store has been very successful. He introduced a jeans collection in 1997, accessories and hosiery in 1998; a wedding collection and childrens' wear ranges in 1999, lingerie in 2001, sunglasses in 2002 and menswear in 2003. Debenhams introduced its first designer lines in 1994. The initiative benefits both the customer and designer, offering the former designer fashions at high street prices and the latter the opportunity to reach a bigger market and sometimes to design products that they have not worked with before.