Scope and content
Contains: Collection designs (ca. 1951 - 1966); season charts (1951 - 1974); designs
for private commissions (ca. 1950s - ca. 1970s); unidentified fashion designs (ca.
1950s); packets for patterns designed by John Cavanagh (ca. 1960s); Duchess of Kent
wedding materials (1961); Princess Alexandra wedding materials (ca. 1962 - 1963);
photographs of the collections (1952 -1970); photographs of Cavanagh customers (1956
- 1968); photographs of John Cavanagh (ca. 1953 - ca. 1960s); photographs of buildings
and interiors (ca. 1950s - ca. 1960s); other photographs (ca. 1950s - ca. 1960s);
press cutting volumes (1947 - 1975); loose press cuttings and magazines (1953 - 1966);
printed advertisements (1959); scrapbooks (1952 - 1959); programmes of Cavanagh fashion
shows (1962 - 1967); descriptions of Cavanagh collections (1954 - 1966); fabric samples
(undated); personal belongings (1957 - 1966); unrelated and unidentified material
(1968; undated).
Record creators history
John Cavanagh (1914 - 2003) began working in the fashion industry in 1932 when he
was appointed as Junior Assistant at the newly opened London branch of the House of
Molyneux. He soon gained experienced of working in Paris and by January 1933 was part
of the team working on producing the 200 outfits which comprised each Spring and Autumn
collection as well as the over 90 outfits which made up the mid season collection.
He spent the next eight years between London and Paris meeting and becoming friendly
with other young fashion designers at the start of their careers including Christian
Dior and Pierre Balmain.
Following the outbreak of the Second World War Cavanagh joined the infantry in August
1940, later joining the British Army Intelligence Corps. After the war he spent many
months in London and New York trying to find work, in New York he met Balmain who
offered him work in his Paris salon, where he spent four years.
Molyneux closed his London business in 1951 and John Cavanagh grasped this opportunity
to establish his own fashion house, named Cavanagh, which he opened in January 1952
at 26 Curzon Place, Mayfair. Cavanagh's first collection was positively received by
fashion journalists, other designers and by clients. In March 1952 he was elected
as member of the Incorporated Society of London Fashion Designers and a clientele
of well dressed women, including Princess Marina, Duchess of Kent, wore Cavanagh designs.
His Spring-Summer 1953 collection was named 'Coronation' to celebrate the coronation
of Queen Elizabeth II and was a success, consisting of dresses made up in fabrics
designed by Oliver Messel. Cavanagh regularly dressed Princess Marina and her daughter
Princess Alexandra for many Royal occasions and visits, as well as several stage and
film stars. In 1959 he launched a boutique range however the couture designs represented
Cavanagh's true genius.
Cavanagh was commissioned to design the wedding dresses for two Royal weddings, the
marriage of the Duke of Kent to Katherine Worsley in 1961 and the marriage of Princess
Alexandra to Angus Ogilvy in 1963. However the 1960s also saw fashion become more
youth orientated and London couture with its emphasis on the royal and social calendar
began to appear out of date. As a result the boutique range was expanded and couture
was gradually reduced, however this did not save the brand and in 1972 Cavanagh closed.
Archival history
Given to V&A Department of Textiles in several accessions between 1973 - 1996.
Source of acquisition
Transfer from V&A Fashion and Textiles Department, 2011.
System of arrangement
Arrangement
This archive has been arranged according to the following series of material:
- AAD/2011/13/1 - Designs
- AAD/2011/13/2 - Duchess of Kent and Princess Alexandra Wedding materials
- AAD/2011/13/3 - Photographs
- AAD/2011/13/4 - Press cuttings, advertisements and scrapbooks
- AAD/2011/13/5 - Programmes and collection descriptions
- AAD/2011/13/6 - Fabric samples
- AAD/2011/13/7 - Personal belongings
- AAD/2011/13/8 - Unrelated and unidentified material
Conditions governing access
This archive is available for consultation in the Blythe House Archive and Library
Reading Room, which is located at Blythe House, 23 Blythe Road, Olympia, London, W14
0QX. The Reading Room is open Tuesday to Friday between 10.00 am and 4.30 pm, access
to it is by appointment only. To request an appointment please email archive@vam.ac.uk
or telephone 020 7603 7493. Access to some files may be restricted. These are identified
at file level.
Related material
AAD/1979/9 - John French, fashion photographer: papers, ca.1948 - 1985
AAD/1995/24 - Simone Mirman, milliner: albums, 1954 - 1967
AAD/2010/5 - Barbara Goalen, fashion model: papers, 1947 - 1985
AAD/2011/14 - Lilian Hyder, material relating to INSOC (Incorporated Society of Fashion
Designers): papers, 1941 - 1987
Extent
320 files
Keywords
Subjects:
Fashion design -- Great Britain -- History -- 20th century
Fashion designers -- Great Britain -- History -- 20th century
Fashion photography -- Great Britain
Fashion -- Great Britain -- History -- 20th century
Record creator
Content provider