Norman Hartnell

Norman Hartnell a iconic  British dress designer master of the royal wardrobe.  Through out Hartnell life he fell in and out of fashion Born in 1901, he was the son of a publican who reinvented himself as a more genteel trader in wholesale wines and spirits but then went onto studying modern languages at  Cambridge were he also found his first love for design helping to design costumes for plays and theatre productions at the university. He then drooped out of university without any degree. Norman knew at that point was more interested in design and from their was spotted by the London press as the designer of a Footlights production which transferred to the Daly's theatre in London. Norman Hartnell then started his own business at 10 Bruton Street, Mayfair in 1923 with the help of his father and sister. From there in 1935 he heard about Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester and Lady Alice Montagu Scott wedding and took it upon himself to send a letter of his designs which they were impressed with and he was the chosen to dress both the bride and the two bridesmaids. From their he then went onto dressing the royals dressing the queen for her trip to France in 1938 which was a success and all over the cover of newspaper making his designs become even more popular and desirable. He was dress maker for the Queen mother in 1940 and Queen Elizabeth the 2nd in 1957 . His dresses were remarkable, long elegant silhouette ball gowns consisting of detail and construction a lot of these dresses worn by mainly royals and  lavish Society weddings.  

Models wearing Norman Hartnell for Vogue, 1953.

 Photographed by Norman Parkinson