When we think of fashion and haute couture in the 1930’s right through to the 1950’s usually only the big names such as Schiaparelli, Vionnet, Chanel and Patou come to mind. Most of these names live on in some form or another, with the rumours of a re launch of Schiaparelli on the horizon; these big names are coming more familiar to the main rank and file.
A name that should be more prominent than what is, is that of Molyneux. Edward Molyneux is the Givenchy of the 1930’s. After training with Lucile (Lady Duff Gordon) in London, he opened in Paris in 1919. From that period right up until WWII his house was the epitome of elegance, sophistication and refinement. He dressed European Royalty, the aristocracy, actress’ such as Greta Garbo, Gertrude Lawrence, and the wife of Somerset Maugham, Syrie, who was one of the leading interior decorators of her day.
He himself was a living advertisement for the style that he created – an idle, slim, elegant style that was always on the edge of dissipation. Along with Vionnet he became a master at creating incredibly fluid bias cut evening dresses that are timeless in their appeal. He banned all superfluous decoration on clothes and invariably worked in black, blue, beige or blue. An avid art collector he assembled an extensive Impressionist collection, of Picassos, Monet and at least 17 Renoirs.
Pierre Balmain was one of Molyneux’s earlier apprentices who went on to write in his autobiography that Molyneux’s was “a temple of subdued elegance… where the world’s best women wore the inimitable two-pieces and tailored suits with pleated skirts, bearing the label of Molyneux”
Unfortunately he retired in 1950 leaving his fashion house in the hands of designer Jacques Griffe. Luckily he did return in 1964 to open Studio Molyneux which was high end prêt a porter collection, which continued right through until 1977. Quite a few of the designs during this period were used by Vogue patterns, where you could run up your own piece of Parisian chic, and the little dresses from this period are chic! Still wearable today extremely elegant and simple.
So girls, break out the Bernina, find an old Molyneux pattern and be chic this summer!
Vetiver by Guerlain
Signoricci 2 by Nina Ricci
Eau Sauvage by Christian Dior
-Vetiver_2.jpg)
Even though stark and incredibly practical the interiors were a tour de force in modern design. Everything was stripped down to its bare minimum as can be seen in the picture of the ship’s Tourist Class Stern Gallery. The room has a soft industrial edge to it which makes a beautiful space that perfectly suits the passenger’s needs.
The designers were not afraid to use colour, and the colours that they used were bold and striking which suited the form of the furniture beautifully.
The ship was primarily an outdoor ship with large lidos and swimming pools to suit the warmer climates which she would be travelling in. Windows could be opened allowing fresh sea breezes in.
I would think that if you were a young child, exposed to the wonderful wooden forms in the children’s play room for 6 weeks, that you would automatically grow up to appreciate form and function.
I just love the top of this bar here. A rather stained glass effect in what could have been a strip of bland formica..jpg)
With the Oriana good design and practicality was not a right, but available to all, whether returning squatter or new immigrant. You too while travelling on assisted passage to a new life in Australia, had some savoir faire.
He himself was a living advertisement for the style that he created – an idle, slim, elegant style that was always on the edge of dissipation. Along with Vionnet he became a master at creating incredibly fluid bias cut evening dresses that are timeless in their appeal. He banned all superfluous decoration on clothes and invariably worked in black, blue, beige or blue. An avid art collector he assembled an extensive Impressionist collection, of Picassos, Monet and at least 17 Renoirs.
Pierre Balmain was one of Molyneux’s earlier apprentices who went on to write in his autobiography that Molyneux’s was “a temple of subdued elegance… where the world’s best women wore the inimitable two-pieces and tailored suits with pleated skirts, bearing the label of Molyneux”
Unfortunately he retired in 1950 leaving his fashion house in the hands of designer Jacques Griffe. Luckily he did return in 1964 to open Studio Molyneux which was high end prêt a porter collection, which continued right through until 1977. Quite a few of the designs during this period were used by Vogue patterns, where you could run up your own piece of Parisian chic, and the little dresses from this period are chic! Still wearable today extremely elegant and simple.
So girls, break out the Bernina, find an old Molyneux pattern and be chic this summer! 
As a lot of you already know, I am a gin man, with gin and tonic being a favourite drink along with the recently discovered gin based Negroni. If the Negroni was the drink of la dolce vita, the Gin Sling (or Singapore Sling) was the drink of the era of colonialism while sitting at the Long Bar in Raffles. I remember my first Singapore Sling at the oh so terribly adult age of 16, sitting down for cocktails before dinner on the roof of the Singapore Hilton around the swimming pool with the lights of Singapore spread out below. I felt so grown up and sophisticated, thinking that this was one of the most divine things I had ever drunk.
Unfortunately the original recipe was lost in the 1920,s however here is what I consider the best.
