Details From a Private Collection
Baroness Fiona Thyssen-Bornemisza 1950's Couture
Judith Clark Costume Gallery
19 May - 28 June 1998

The second exhibition at the gallery displayed examples of late 1950’s and early 1960's couture at its finest, illustrating structure, fabric and decoration. Baroness Fiona Thyssen-Bornemisza, then better known as Fiona Campbell-Walter, was Vogue’s Face of 1954 and was photographed by some of the most renowned photographers of the century including Cecil Beaton, Norman Parkinson, and Robert Doisneau.

In 1953, she appeared on the cover of Life magazine, an achievement few models have ever reached. Her cool elegance epitomised the sophisticated look that the couturiers of the time aspired to. From her private collection the gallery showed examples by Balenciaga, Givenchy and Madame Gres, all of which demonstrate the graceful tailoring and incredible attention to detail that still inspires designers today. We felt enormously privileged to have been given access to this splendid collection as it had never been shown in public before, and we are delighted to share Baroness Thyssen’s enthusiasm for these seminal designers of the Fifties and Sixties.