Lingerie & Lifeboats:
Lucy, Lady Duff Gordon, British Fashion Icon
Presented by Leslie Klingner
The first British-based designer to achieve international acclaim at the turn of the 20th century was Lucy Christina Sutherland, a London-born dressmaker who was also the first to coin the dress term “chic.” She founded Lucile Ltd., a brand which revolutionized the Edwardian fashion world by introducing live models on the catwalk, less restrictive designs, daring split skirts and risqué low necklines. While considered risqué, her designs were known for their use of draped fabrics for both women’s evening-wear and lingerie. Her clients ranged from royalty, aristocrats, and socialites to the queens of stage and screen: Sarah Bernhardt, Lily Langtry, and Ellen Terry. Lady Duff Gordon was among the first-class passengers on the ship Titanic on April 14, 1912, and controversially escaped with her husband in Lifeboat No. 1—a harrowing experience that was widely reported in the press. Design historian Leslie Klingner will delve into the history of this fascinating designer who transformed the fashion world with stores in Paris, London, NYC, and Chicago, her modern marketing strategies, and her stunning costumes.
Leslie Klingner is a design historian specializing in decorative art and material culture of the 19th and 20th centuries. Leslie has served as a Lecturer at the Metropolitan Museum (2001-2009) and as Senior Educator and Academic Programs Coordinator for the Brooklyn Museum. In 2006, Leslie became the Curator of Interpretation for Biltmore, the family home of the late George W. Vanderbilt. Combining her love of history, fashion and film, she co-curated the first large-scale exhibition of costume from the film Titanic entitled Glamour on Board. Other recent co-curated exhibitions include A Vanderbilt House Party: The Gilded Age; Dressing Downton: Changing Fashions for Changing Times; and The Vanderbilts at Home and Abroad. Leslie is a popular Royal Oak speaker who developed this lecture especially for Royal Oak.
A part of Royal Oak Foundation’s new digital lecture series.
