Dress, evening dress

Silk chiffon evening dress decorated with sequins and seed beads, c. 1925. Retailed by Marshall & Snelgrove. This sleeveless, knee-length, drop-waisted evening dress has a V-neck at the front and back. The ground of the dress is covered with flat sequins. Cup-shaped sequins have been used to create the bold motifs, which are outlined in seed beads. The mock drapery over the hips and stylised fan-shaped flowerheads reflect the fad for Egyptian styles prompted by the discovery of Tutankhamen's tomb in November 1922.

The dress was purchased from the Tea gown department at Marshall & Snelgrove, which had entrances on Oxford Street, Vere Street and Henrietta Street. Marshall and Snelgrove, which opened in 1837, was one of London's leading department stores in the 1920s. In 1924 the journalist Elizabth Montizambert compared its lavish displays of luxurious merchandise to an Aladdin's cave. The store had couture workrooms making their own designs and copies of Paris models. It also sold ready-to-wear clothing.

Evening dress; knee length silver sequin dress with large floral motifs in pink and black stitched to a pale pink chiffon ground. The flat sequins form the background and cup sequins are used to show the foliage which is outlined in seed beads. The dress is sleeveless with a V-neck at front and back; neck and sleeve edges self-bound. Bodice front shaped by shoulder darts and central ruching at waistline joins skirt at waistline dipped either side from ruching. Six panelled skirt slightly gathered to bodice, knee length, self-bound hem. Lingerie strap retainers at shoulder. Dress handsewn, sequins hand embroidered. Front and back necklines have been made smaller by central dart. Makers label is sewn on inside left side seam. The cream label is woven in yellow with a large ornamental 'M', continuing in smaller lettering with 'MARSHALL & SNELLGROVE / VERE ST & OXFORD ST./LONDON, W.1./TEA GOWN DEPT.' The shoulders have disintegrated but have been conserved; line of sequins missing left bodice front.