Norman Hartnell

Early Life and Career

- June 12, 1901 - Norman Bishop Hartnell was born in Streatham, southwest London.

- He was the son of publicans who owned the Crown & Sceptre pub.

- Hartnell studied Modern Languages at Magdalene College, Cambridge.

- He developed a passion for fashion as a young boy while watching musicals in London's West End, recreating costumes in watercolor.

- During his time at Cambridge, he designed costumes for Footlights productions, where a review by journalist Min Hogg in the Evening Standard proclaimed, Is the dress genius of the future now at Cambridge?.

- 1923 - He opened his own fashion house on Bruton Street in Mayfair with financial support from his father and sister, Phyllis.

- He gained a clientele of debutantes and their mothers in London.

- He became popular with stars of stage and screen, dressing leading ladies such as Gladys Cooper, Elsie Randolph, Gertrude Lawrence, Jessie Matthews, Merle Oberon, Evelyn Laye and Anna Neagle.

- 1927 and 1929 - Coco Chanel showed a keen interest in his collections.

- 1929 - He showed his clothes to the international press in Paris, where the floor-length hems of his evening dresses, after a decade of rising hems, were hailed as the advent of a new fashion.

- 1929 - He opened a fashion house in Paris.

- 1934 - He moved to a larger Mayfair town house on Bruton Street.

Royal Connections

- 1935 - Hartnell's first royal commission was designing the wedding dress and bridesmaid's dresses for Lady Alice Montagu Douglas Scott's marriage to Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester. The bridesmaids included Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret.

- The Queen Mother, then the Duchess of York, was impressed by Lady Alice's wedding dress and became a loyal client of Hartnell's.

- 1937 - For the Coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen ordered the maid of honour dresses from Hartnell.

- 1940 - He received the Royal Warrant as Dressmaker to Queen Elizabeth later known as the Queen Mother.

- 1957 - He was later granted the Royal Warrant as Dressmaker to Queen Elizabeth II.

Notable Designs

- 1939 - He designed the wardrobe for Queen Elizabeth's North American and Canadian tour.

- 1947 - He designed the wedding dress worn by Princess Elizabeth, which was embroidered with more than 10,000 seed pearls.

- 1953 - He designed the coronation gown for Queen Elizabeth II, which featured floral emblems for every country then under her dominion.

- 1960 - He created Princess Margaret's wedding dress.

- Hartnell's designs were known for their elegance, flattering silhouettes, and unique touches. His signature style was opulent yet elegant, with lavish embroidery and intricate details.

Later Career and Legacy

- 1977 - He became the first fashion designer to be knighted for his contributions to the industry.

- 1977 - The Queen Mother made Hartnell the first fashion designer ever to be named a Knight of the Royal Victorian Order.

- June 8, 1979 - Hartnell passed away in Windsor, United Kingdom.

- He is remembered as one of the most celebrated British fashion designers, particularly for his close association with the royal family.

- THAT DRESS! Norman Hartnell for Queen Elizabeth II ... - YouTube

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