Zandra Rhodes donates five archive designs to Fashion and Textile Museum
Dame Zandra Rhodes has donated five of her archive designs to London's Fashion and Textile Museum.
Dame Zandra Rhodes has donated five of her archive designs to London's Fashion and Textile Museum.
The iconic designer, who founded the museum in 2003, revealed her plans during an event celebrating commemorative mirrored plaques installed by her friend Andrew Logan, which depict her late partner Salah Hassanein, who she was with for over 30 years before he died in 2018.
The five key pieces she is donating, which date from 1974 and 1992, include two chiffon dresses, the Field of Lilies and Reverse Lilies.
Another of the items, which will be part of the permanent collection, is a red silk chiffon gown with pagoda sleeves, which is printed with Dame Zandra's Chinese Squares design.
Speaking at the event this week, she said: “I founded the Fashion and Textile Museum in 2003, making London’s first museum devoted entirely to the wonderful craftsmanship of fashion and textiles.
“Working with the amazing Mexican architect Ricardo Legorreta to bring this vibrant pink and orange building to life is one of my proudest achievements, and more than 20 years later, it remains a place very close to my heart."
The museum described the dresses as a way for future audiences to "engage directly with landmark examples" of Dame Zandra's design practice.
Dennis Nothdruft, the museum’s head of exhibitions, added: "[Her work] is a constant source of inspiration to the team here, as well as to our visitors.
"We are looking forward to a long and fruitful relationship with the Zandra Rhodes Foundation, working to preserve Zandra’s design legacy.”
Throughout her glittering career, Dame Zandra has worked with celebrity clients including the late Diana, Princess of Wales as well as Dame Elizabeth Taylor, Anjelica Houston and Freddie Mercury.
In her book Iconic: My Life in Fashion in 50 Object, the style guru opened up about being asked to come up with a design for Diana's wedding dress.
She wrote of working with royal customers: "My designs, for all their feminine romance, were still bold, unique and attention-grabbing.
"I had bright pink hair and could hardly be considered the typically genteel sort of designer normally found working with princesses."
Dame Zandra added of Diana: "'Happy' wasn’t a word I would have associated with her, but she was very warm ... Diana got a raw deal.
"You can have all the riches in the world, but if you don’t have love, or don’t feel loved, you have very little."
