In her new book Artistic Dress at Liberty & Co., Anna Buruma, a former costume designer and archivist at Central St. Martins and Liberty, guides us through the wonderful history of the iconic London store. At Marlborough LitFest, interviewed by Katherine MacInnes, Buruma introduced the audience to some of the main topics of her book from the dyes and material of Liberty clothing to the workers who created and sold these garments.
Arthur Liberty, Buruma explained, was at the forefront of a new style of dress. Rather than confirming to the stiff corseted dress styles typical of the mid-19th century, Liberty designs, often made of thin silk, created flowing silhouettes inspired by classical statues, Japanese kimonos and other historical styles. These Aesthetic style dresses were popular among the artistic crowds of the time. Later, in the 1890s, Liberty also captured the Art Nouveau style, with Celtic-influenced designs that harked back to Britain’s past.
Buruma has also dedicated a chapter of her book to the Liberty workers, many of whom were women but remain largely unknown. One of the three original employees of Liberty & Co. was a woman, Hannah Browning. The seamstresses were all women and so were most salespeople and fitters. Arthur Liberty proclaimed that his was very popular about his staff, saying that he employed people who had previously worked for William Morris or had attended art school. As far as Buruma could ascertain, this may not have actually been the experience of many employees but they were undoubtedly knowledgeable and highly skilled. The store too, Buruma explained in the Q&A, was also female-centred, with only women’s and children’s clothing available.
Buruma also painted a fabulous image of a bygone way of shopping. In the late 19th century, far from the impersonal, off-the-rack experience of today’s fast fashion, one could either go to the London store where you would be guided by knowledgeable salespeople, or choose your design from a catalogue and have it customised by a fitter who would come to your home – even if you lived in Scotland! This highly personalised service waned in the first decades of the 20th century but the London shop of course remains a fabulous place to peruse Liberty’s collection.
Buruma’s talk provided a snapshot into the history of the developments and innovations of such a recognisable brand and her book promises further insight alongside beautiful pictures.
‘Artistic Dress at Liberty & Co.’ by Anna Buruma, published by Yale University Press
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