Elizabeth Handley-Seymour

Elizabeth Handley-Seymour (1867–1948) was a London-based fashion designer and court-dressmaker operating as Madame Handley-Seymour between 1910 and 1940. She is best known for creating the wedding dress worn by Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the future Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, for her marriage to the Duke of York, the future King George VI, in 1923; and later, Queen Elizabeth's coronation gown in 1937.

Early life Born Elizabeth Fielding in Blackpool in 1867, she moved to London in the 1890s and set herself up as a court-dressmaker. In 1901 she married Major James Burke Handley-Seymour. By 1912 Handley-Seymour was based on Bond Street, and had received her first Court commissions. She was still located at Bond Street in 1938, with a staff of 200 making up her designs, while her husband handled the administrative side of the business. Poiret was at that time considered one of the most avant-garde and daring couturiers, meaning that Handley-Seymour was catering to a clientele who expected to be offered the smartest, most fashionable Paris modes. While it was reported that Handley-Seymour retired before the end of World War II which broke out in September 1939, However Handley-Seymour Ltd. was not formally wound up until 1950, following the deaths of Madame Handley-Seymour in 1948 and her husband's death in Buckinghamshire on 12 August 1949.

Theatre design Mrs Patrick Campbell as Eliza Doolittle in Pygmalion, Act III. (1914) One of Handley-Seymour's first high-profile clients was the actress Mrs. Patrick Campbell, who commissioned Handley-Seymour to create gowns for her role as Eliza Doolittle in the 1914 premiere of George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion.

Royal designs

In 1923 Handley-Seymour, at that time dressmaker to Queen Mary, was commissioned to make the bridal gown of Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon for her 26 April wedding to the Duke of York. The ivory chiffon moire dress was embroidered with pearls and silver thread, with a train of Flanders lace, and a girdle of silver leaves and green tulle fastened with silver roses and thistles. Handley-Seymour also made a number of outfits for the Duchess's trousseau, which were exhibited to the press on 20 April and were noted for their modestly neutral colours, such as a grey-beige going-away costume.

For the next 12 years Handley-Seymour remained the Duchess of York's favourite dressmaker, although by 1937 the Duchess – now queen consort following the abdication of Edward VIII – was transferring her patronage to Norman Hartnell. Despite this, Elizabeth commissioned Handley-Seymour to create her gown for the coronation (although Hartnell dressed the maids of honour). The transfer to Hartnell was not total, as he and Handley-Seymour both supplied clothes for Queen Elizabeth's wardrobe for the 1939 royal tour of Canada.

Legacy In 1958 the Handley-Seymours' daughter Joyce donated a number of Handley-Seymour design books ranging from 1910 to early 1940 to the Victoria and Albert Museum.