Art And Fabrics In Sumptuous Display

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29170, 2 April 1960, Page 2

Art And Fabrics In Sumptuous Display

The glowing beauty of satin brocade has been captured in a series of designs by three famous artists in an exhibition of both art and fabrics to be held at Beaths Ltd., in Christchurch next week.

Princess Margaret opened the same exhibition in London last year for the manufacturer, Mr Nicholas Sekers, of the West Cumberland Silk Mills. The artists are Cecil Beaton, who is perhaps better known for his photography, the interior decorator, Oliver Messel, and portrait artist, Graham Sutherland.

Arranged in heavy flowing drapes round the sides of the paintings the fabrics are held in place by slender gold hands which direct the eye to the giltframed pictures. They gleam with lurex thread, shimmer with silk embossing and give an “exclusive” air of opulence and luxury to the exhibition room. The designs are inspired by exotic flowers—Japanese anemones, full-blown roses and buds, carnations, tulips and fuchsia — and are arranged to show every petal and stem to advantage. The colours, too, are vibrant in subtle tonings of magnolia deepened to pink, palest apricot to flame, a water green to jade. They are complemented by the frequent repetition of the pattern in gold or silver thread in some fabrics, and by a selection of original gowns by such designers as Hartnell and Hardy Amies, which will be modelled during the exhibition. The fragile Japanese anemone pattern created by Cecil Beaton

is painted in white on sage green. It is interpreted in a pure silk brocade in shades of pale green and sky blue. Oliver Messel’s “Carnation” painting is repeated on embossed satin in flame and apricot and in alabaster arranged in a contrast of sumptuous draping.

Every shade of off-white from parchment to a rich cream is displayed in this exhibition along with new and striking evening

ideas such as a heavy mocca brown and bronze green. From fashion houses in Rome, Paris and London come the haute couture gowns in fabrics not included here. There is a theatre coat in green and violet brocade fashioned with wide sleeves and a double-breasted buttoned front. The coat is quilted in the fabric pattern and lined with lilac shot silk.

A cocktail ensemble of skirt, blouse and jacket demonstrates the new dropped shoulder line combined with a wide portrait collar. It is in gold and dark green lame brocade with a lemon satin blouse.

For the evening there is a regal design in a sheath-skirted dinner suit of white satin. There is a black and silver blouse interchangeable with one of white satin, and again the high collar is featured with the low-cut sleeves. Expensive Gown One of the most expensive gowns to be imported for an exhibition in Christchurch is the Hardy Aiiiies model valued at nearly £2OO. Featuring a sweeping fichu collar banded in mink, it has a high belted waistline and a bouffant skirt falling from unpressed pleats. • The Hartnell gown is more in-formal-short and bell-skirted it has a heavily-beaded bodice and its own matching cape that wraps around the shoulders and fastens with buttons the size of small saucers. Both these dresses are of materials on display and will be the most favoured dresses worn by the models, who will also act as hostesses for the week. A footnote worthy of mention is that Oliver Messel is the brother of Princess Margaret’s future mother-in-law, the Countess of Rosse.