London College of Fashion
London College of Fashion has a range of exciting collections covering all aspects of fashion, including advertising and garments.
Click on the collection titles for more details. All collections are accessible by pre-arranged booking via the Archive Centre unless otherwise stated.
Business Archives Council Collection | C&A Archive | Cooling Lawrence & Wells Collection | Cordwainers College Archive | EMAP Archive | Gaiety Girls |Gala Collection | Hat Collection | Hayes Collection of Textiles | Hester Borron Collection | International Wool Secretariat Photographs (Woolmark Company) | Jenifer Rosenberg Collection | Korner Collection | London Alliance of West End Cutters Collection | London College of Fashion Archive | Louis Bund Collection | Mary Quant Make-up Collection | Materials Collection | Paper Patterns Collection | Rare Publications Collection | Tailor and Cutter Academy Archive | Tailors and Outfitters Assistants'General Friendly Society Collection | Women's Home Industries Archive |
Business Archives Council Collection
The collection contains documents relating to the garment trade in London, 1840-1899. Including items relating to patents, and an apprenticeship indenture.
The collection contains materials relating to C&A Ltd, clothing retailers and manufacturers. It is rich in visual material related to advertising and store display, 1922-2001. The University of the Arts archive and special collections centre holds slides, photographs and information on advertising campaigns c1940-1990 and materials relating to the history if the company in the UK, 1922-2001. The London College of Fashion holds a collection of clothing and fashion adverts designed by Margrit Seck.
Cooling Lawrence & Wells Collection
The collection contains the London Time Log, 1891-1937. The time logwas a method of evaluating and paying for the work of tailors and tailoresses.The log documents the company J.C.Wells, Cooling Lawrence & Wells,Cordas and Bright (later Wells Tailors and Shirtmakers), William Cooling Lawrence was a partner in the companies and was Chair of the Joint Log Committee. There is also a Livery Book, 1904-1970, with material samples and details of customers'orders, some correspondence with customers and details of uniform specifications, both military and civil.
The collection contains materials relating to one of the London College of Fashion predecessor bodies, 1915-2000, including: photographs, teaching books, cuttings, prospectuses, programmes, minutes, administrative documents and student work. There are also 650 pairs of shoes, 1780-1990s. A description and images from the Cordwainers College Historic Shoe Collection are accessed via the Visual Arts Data Service.
EMAP is a key trade publisher for the fashion industry. The collectioncontains journals dating from the 1880s to the present day such as the Drapers Record. It covers subjects including promotion, the developmentof the fashion trade and the history of modern footwear. Please note this is an extensive collection.
The collection contains materials relating to the Gaiety Girls and the Edwardian Musical Theatre including postcards, journals, and cuttings and photocopies of articles and magazines on various singer-actresses of the early 20th century.
Gala Collection
The collection contains scrapbooks of clippings from newspapers and magazines, publicity and promotional photographs for Crystal Products, Miner's Cosmetics and Gala Cosmetics. In addition to the scrapbook photographs, there are 169 photographs of products, promotional shots, point of sale shots, factory shots and promotional event shots. A description of this collection and images are available on the Visual Arts Data Service.
The collection contains hats from high street and high end retailers anddesigners, including: Madame Valerie Brill (1960s), Clarida (1962-3), Marcel Ltd, Philip Treacy, Herbert Johnson (1973), Bermona Trend (1984), C&A (1955), Webflex (1930s), Panda (1960s), Frederick Fox (1990s),Velonap (1950s), Kangol (1950s), Jacoll (1960s) and Marida (1970s).
The collection contains textile swatches by Hayes (a British company) that designed and then manufactured head clothes for Nigerian women. The swatches show a varied sample of patterns and colours that were typical ofthe designs used throughout this company's lifespan. There is also a small number of books used for design inspiration.
The collection contains clothes, hats, photographs and paper patterns owned by the Borron family, 1920s -1960s, including both homemade and couture items for example, evening clothes and a Liberty day dress, c1940s.
International Wool Secretariat Photographs (Woolmark Company)
The collection contains photographs of women's wear and some menswear (couture and prêt a porter) including related promotional materials. The collection covers the period 1940-1970s. Please note this is an extensive collection. For description of the collection and images please visit Visual Arts Data Service.
The collection contains dresses and hats belonging to Rosenberg, Founder amdn Managing Director of J&J Fashions. The garments are mainly couture evening wear and hats that are mainly by Frederick Fox, 1974- 2002.
The collection contains coats, dresses, suits, blouses, underwear, belts, hats, gloves and a range of dress and knitting patterns with ephemeral material previously belonging to Mrs Cecile Korner, 1940s-1980s.
London Alliance of West End Cutters Collection
The collection contains materials relating to lectures and dinners hosted by the Alliance, a professional society for cutters in the tailoring trade,1967-1987.
London College of Fashion Archive
The collection contains items relating to the history of London College of Fashion from its original trade schools at Barrett Street, Shoreditch and Clapham to the present day. Some items are featured in Couture or Trade: an early pictorial record of the London College of Fashion, Helen Reynolds (Chichester: Phillimore, 1997). Also included is the Ethal E Cox Collection.Cox was the Head Mistress at Barrett Street Trade School from 1915-1950. The collection contains material documenting training and activities in avariety of subjects: hairdressing and make-up through to evacuation projects. Please note this is an extensive collection. Approximately 1,000 black and white photographs of College events and history can be accessed via the Visual Arts Data Service.
Louis Bund supplied textile flowers to dress makers and designers. Thecollection contains a salesman box with 252 sample flowers and individual vintage flowers.
Quant is a fashion designer, particularly influential in the 1960s. Thecollection contains 30 items of make-up from Quant's ranges and sundry items such as perfume and applicators.
The collection contains examples of both cutting edge and standard, classical swatches. In addition to the samples there is information on composition, weight, width and company contact details.
Jessica Lertvilai / Materials Collection co-ordinator:
- Jessica Lertvilai, Materials Collection Co-ordinator is available to support the Collection (via the London College Of Fashion Library). The collection is open Monday and Friday: 11.00 - 1.00 and 1.30 - 5.00
For further details, please email Jessica at the address below.
Jessica is also available at the CSM Materials & Products Collection at Southampton Row Library from Tuesday to Thursday (9.00am - 5.00pm.)
Contact Jess at the email address below for further details.
Email: materials@csm.arts.ac.uk
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Paper Patterns Collection
The collection contains commercially published patterns for homedressmaking,1920s-1970s. Most have been used and not all are complete. The covers have been digitised and are available on the Visual Arts Data Service.
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Rare Publications Collection
The collection contains rare books and periodicals reflecting the subject interests of the College. Items date from the 1900s-for example, Visionaire'a multi-format album of fashion and art produced in exclusive limitededitions'1991-. The collection also includes the Tailoring Archive, this consists of books and periodicals on the practical application of tailoring methods from the 1800s-1900s and is particularly strong in men's tailoring. For a full list see the Library catalogue.
Access is by appointment only. University of the Arts London staff and students should complete an application form available from the library - a minimum of 48 hours notice is usually required. External users should ring 02075148677 to book the next available appointment having first identified the material required on the library catalogue.
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Tailor and Cutter Academy Archive
The collection contains records of the Federation of Clothing Designers and Executives, comprising volumes of pattern cutting layouts for male and female garments that were possibly used for tailoring exercises at the Academy and papers relating to a correspondence course run by the Academy. There are also drawings and notes.
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Tailors and Outfitters Assistants'General Friendly Society Collection
The collection contains material relating to the Societies benevolent fund,1893-1993. The fund provided relief of poverty and distress for employeesworking in tailoring or outfitting.
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Women's Home Industries Archive
The collection contains knitting patterns created for and by Women's Home Industries (also known as Beatrice Bellini Hand Knits), from 1947-2005. The company was established by Baroness Swanborough and received free materials for garments; these were then made-up by up to 4000 homeknitters and exported (primarily to the USA and Canada). The collection also contains: a visitor's book, press cutting books, garments and sample books.
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Additional sources of information
The Textiles Environment Design (TED) is a collection of reference materials such as papers, documents, reports, brochures and some fabric and clothing samples on environmental textiles. A list of eco-fabric suppliers in the UK is also available. The collection is housed in Room EG21 at Chelsea College of Art and Design and open Monday and Tuesday by appointment only. Telephone 02075142169 or e-mail.
University of the Arts London staff and students can also access the Textile Resource Online Guide (TROG) via the E-directory on the i-page. TROG is a web based learning tool which provides a starting point for students who are seeking information about textiles.
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Contact details
Archive Centre enquiries and bookings can be made by telephoning 02075146173 or by e-mail. For full Library details please click here.
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