Elizabeth Emanuel
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth Emanuel is a fashion designer who, along with husband David Emanuel
, is best known for her 1981 work for the wedding of Diana, Princess of Wales
. Since then Elizabeth developed her own label, worked in costume design for airlines, cinema, pop video and television productions, as well as providing a couture service to some of the world's most famous women.
and then, upon leaving school, Elizabeth took a year's foundation course at the Harrow School of Art, followed by a three year diploma course in Fashion Design.
At Harrow she met and married David Emanuel
in 1976, and together they became the first married couple to be accepted by the Royal College of Art
for a two year Masters degree in Fashion. Reaction to Elizabeth's college showing was unprecedented, with her first collection being sold exclusively at Browns
.
. In 1979, they decided to close their ready–to–wear shop, so that they could concentrate on the couture
(custom made) side of the business, and became a favourite designer of Lady Diana Spencer before her marriage.
In 1981, the couple were chosen to design the wedding dress worn by Diana, Princess of Wales. The dress—seen by over 700 million people worldwide—was made of ivory silk, pure taffeta and antique lace, with 10,000 pearls and sequins, and had a 25 ft train. Of the dress, Lisa Marsh writes in the Fashion Encyclopedia that "Creations by artists from Botticelli to Renoir and Degas were used as influences, as were photographs of some of the more romantic women in history. The garments seen on Greta Garbo in Camille, Vivien Leigh in Gone with the Wind, and Marlene Dietrich in The Scarlet Empress were all recreated to some degree."
A copy of Diana, Princess of Wales wedding dress, made by Emanuel, sold at auction in 2005 for £100,000, twice the original estimate. There was some controversy surrounding the auction. The dress' owners, Madame Tussauds
, said that it had been made "in case of any hiccup or disaster", and that it had been tried on by Lady Diana Spencer the morning of her wedding. David Emanuel was quoted by the Western Mail, saying "To say it is a direct replica is untrue. There is no such thing. We did not make one. Diana categorically never tried this dress on, on her wedding day or at any other time, and to my knowledge never even saw it. It wasn't even made to her exact measurements, and we, of course, are the only ones who would know that." The copy of Diana's dress had been given to Madame Tussauds after the wedding in 1981 and was placed on display.
After the Royal Wedding the Emanuels designed a major part of The Princess of Wales wardrobe for her Gulf Tour, and appeared with her in an Independent Television documentary entitled In Private - in Public. At this time both HRH The Duchess of Kent and Sarah, Duchess of York
also became patrons of the Salon.
In 1987 the Emanuel Shop was opened in Beauchamp Place, Knightsbridge
, bringing the Emanuel’s’ previously exclusive clothing to the general public. The collections also sold at: Browns, Harrods
and Harvey Nichols
in London
; Bergdorf Goodman
, Saks
, Henri Bendel
, Barneys and Neiman Marcus
in the United States
.
, to design a gown for Snow White
on the films 60th anniversary.
In 1991, Elizabeth designed the complete range of Virgin Atlantic uniforms, luggage and accessories. She was also asked to design wedding outfits for Sir Richard Branson
, Joan and their children for the couples wedding. Following this Britannia Airways
, asked Elizabeth to design a brand new image and uniform for staff and cabin crew which was launched in April 1997. In 1995 Elizabeth designed the costumes for the full length period feature film, The Changeling, directed by Marcus Thompson
and starring Ian Drury and Billy Connelly, which went on general release in 1999.
To be able to expand the business, in 1997 she went into partnership with Hamlet International. To enable them license new products, she assigned them her business and all its assets, and together, they formed a company called Elizabeth Emanuel Plc. But after it quickly went into administration, the assets and registered trade mark were sold to Frostprint, which changed its name to Elizabeth Emanuel International. Elizabeth left after one month, and shortly afterwards the registered trade mark was sold to Oakridge Trading, owned by Manchester
businessman Shami Ahmed
. After the pair fell out and Elizabeth went to court to reclaim her brand, as a result of huge public interest, the BBC filmed two 45 minute documentaries of her work over the course of two years, Frocky Horror Show and Blood on the Carpet. Elizabeth lost the case in a landmark hearing.
Contractually tied to either producing public work for a label that she didn't own or singular commissions, Elizabeth chose to concentrate on the latter. In October 1997 Elizabeth was commissioned to produce the wedding dress for Estee Lauder
's forthcoming international television campaign for the perfume Beautiful featuring Elizabeth Hurley
. In July 1998 Elizabeth was again commissioned by Estee Lauder for their Pleasures campaign, again featuring Elizabeth Hurley.
From 2001-2002 she worked as the designer for The Luxury Brand Group concentrating on the development of their newly acquired Norman Hartnell
brand. In November 2003 Elizabeth designed the costumes for a short film starring David Ginola
, filmed in France and premièred at the Cannes Film Festival
. In May 2004, Elizabeth designed violinist Vanessa Mae’s outfit and her dancers’ costumes for the Classical Brit awards
at the Albert Hall
. Elizabeth created costumes with Mike Batt
for his musical The Hunting of the Snark
first performed at The Albert Hall.
Elizabeth designed for the Ballet Rambert and for Robert North's Fabrications by the London Contemporary Dance Theatre. She also designed the costumes for Wayne Eagling
’s production Frankenstein
, The Modern Prometheus.
In February 2007 Elizabeth completed a multi-feature DVD called Metamorphosis, one of the wedding dresses from which features in the film Outlaw directed by Nick Love
. In the credits, Elizabeth’s name and the Art of Being brand are both mentioned. In February 2008 Elizabeth designed a range of wedding gowns for high street department store chain British Home Stores, and also started creating pieces for both ITV's the X Factor
and Britain's Next Top Model
.
In 2010, Elizabeth formally launched new label Art of Being, which she described as being styled around "the faded grandeur and decadence of Venice at the turn of the century". In a quest for finance to expand the business, she engaged with "Lord" Edward Davenport's finance company Gresham Ltd. After Emanuel deposited £20,000 in approval and due diligence
fee's, Davenport withdrew the companies offer of a £1 million loan. Davenport was subsequently jailed in September 2011 for his part in a £4.5 million advanced-fee fraud.
In September 2010 Elizabeth returned to the catwalk during London Fashion Week
showing her Little Black Dress Collection.
David Emanuel (fashion designer)
David Emanuel is a Welsh fashion designer who is, perhaps, best known for having designed the wedding dress worn by Diana, Princess of Wales in 1981.-Early years:Born and brought up in Bridgend , David Emanuel excelled in music...
, is best known for her 1981 work for the wedding of Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
. Since then Elizabeth developed her own label, worked in costume design for airlines, cinema, pop video and television productions, as well as providing a couture service to some of the world's most famous women.
Early life
Born in London to an American father Samuel Charles (Buddy) Weiner and British mother Brahna Betty Weiner. Elizabeth was educated at the City of London School for GirlsCity of London School for Girls
City of London School for Girls is a girls' independent school located in the City of London, United Kingdom. It is sister school of the City of London School and the City of London Freemen's School .-History:The school was founded by William Ward in 1894...
and then, upon leaving school, Elizabeth took a year's foundation course at the Harrow School of Art, followed by a three year diploma course in Fashion Design.
At Harrow she met and married David Emanuel
David Emanuel (fashion designer)
David Emanuel is a Welsh fashion designer who is, perhaps, best known for having designed the wedding dress worn by Diana, Princess of Wales in 1981.-Early years:Born and brought up in Bridgend , David Emanuel excelled in music...
in 1976, and together they became the first married couple to be accepted by the Royal College of Art
Royal College of Art
The Royal College of Art is an art school located in London, United Kingdom. It is the world’s only wholly postgraduate university of art and design, offering the degrees of Master of Arts , Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy...
for a two year Masters degree in Fashion. Reaction to Elizabeth's college showing was unprecedented, with her first collection being sold exclusively at Browns
Browns (fashion boutique)
Browns is an independent fashion boutique in London, United Kingdom. It was founded by Joan Burstein and husband Sidney in 1970. The flagship store on London's South Molton Street is famous for its long window displays, which once featured John Galliano's graduate collection.-History:Joan Burstein...
.
Emanuel Salon
Following the birth of their two children, Oliver and Eloise; in 1977 the couple launched their own fashion house, Emanuel Salon, in Brook Street, MayfairMayfair
Mayfair is an area of central London, within the City of Westminster.-History:Mayfair is named after the annual fortnight-long May Fair that took place on the site that is Shepherd Market today...
. In 1979, they decided to close their ready–to–wear shop, so that they could concentrate on the couture
Haute couture
Haute couture refers to the creation of exclusive custom-fitted clothing. Haute couture is made to order for a specific customer, and it is usually made from high-quality, expensive fabric and sewn with extreme attention to detail and finished by the most experienced and capable seamstresses,...
(custom made) side of the business, and became a favourite designer of Lady Diana Spencer before her marriage.
In 1981, the couple were chosen to design the wedding dress worn by Diana, Princess of Wales. The dress—seen by over 700 million people worldwide—was made of ivory silk, pure taffeta and antique lace, with 10,000 pearls and sequins, and had a 25 ft train. Of the dress, Lisa Marsh writes in the Fashion Encyclopedia that "Creations by artists from Botticelli to Renoir and Degas were used as influences, as were photographs of some of the more romantic women in history. The garments seen on Greta Garbo in Camille, Vivien Leigh in Gone with the Wind, and Marlene Dietrich in The Scarlet Empress were all recreated to some degree."
A copy of Diana, Princess of Wales wedding dress, made by Emanuel, sold at auction in 2005 for £100,000, twice the original estimate. There was some controversy surrounding the auction. The dress' owners, Madame Tussauds
Madame Tussauds
Madame Tussauds is a wax museum in London with branches in a number of major cities. It was founded by wax sculptor Marie Tussaud and was formerly known as "Madame Tussaud's", but the apostrophe is no longer used...
, said that it had been made "in case of any hiccup or disaster", and that it had been tried on by Lady Diana Spencer the morning of her wedding. David Emanuel was quoted by the Western Mail, saying "To say it is a direct replica is untrue. There is no such thing. We did not make one. Diana categorically never tried this dress on, on her wedding day or at any other time, and to my knowledge never even saw it. It wasn't even made to her exact measurements, and we, of course, are the only ones who would know that." The copy of Diana's dress had been given to Madame Tussauds after the wedding in 1981 and was placed on display.
After the Royal Wedding the Emanuels designed a major part of The Princess of Wales wardrobe for her Gulf Tour, and appeared with her in an Independent Television documentary entitled In Private - in Public. At this time both HRH The Duchess of Kent and Sarah, Duchess of York
Sarah, Duchess of York
Sarah, Duchess of York is a British charity patron, spokesperson, writer, film producer, television personality and former member of the British Royal Family. She is the former wife of Prince Andrew, Duke of York, whom she married from 1986 to 1996...
also became patrons of the Salon.
In 1987 the Emanuel Shop was opened in Beauchamp Place, Knightsbridge
Knightsbridge
Knightsbridge is a road which gives its name to an exclusive district lying to the west of central London. The road runs along the south side of Hyde Park, west from Hyde Park Corner, spanning the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea...
, bringing the Emanuel’s’ previously exclusive clothing to the general public. The collections also sold at: Browns, Harrods
Harrods
Harrods is an upmarket department store located in Brompton Road in Brompton, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London. The Harrods brand also applies to other enterprises undertaken by the Harrods group of companies including Harrods Bank, Harrods Estates, Harrods Aviation and Air...
and Harvey Nichols
Harvey Nichols
Harvey Nichols, founded in 1813, is an upmarket department store chain. Its original store is in London. Founded in 1813 as a linen shop, it sells many international brands of clothing for women and men, fashion accessories, beauty products, wine and food...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
; Bergdorf Goodman
Bergdorf Goodman
Bergdorf Goodman is a luxury goods department store based on Fifth Avenue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. The company was founded in 1899 by Herman Bergdorf and was later owned and managed by Edwin Goodman, and later his son Andrew Goodman....
, Saks
Saks Fifth Avenue
Saks Fifth Avenue is a luxury American specialty store owned and operated by Saks Fifth Avenue Enterprises , a subsidiary of Saks Incorporated. It competes in the high-end specialty store market in the Upper East Side of Manhattan, i.e. 'the 3 B's' Bergdorf, Barneys, Bloomingdale's and Lord & Taylor...
, Henri Bendel
Henri Bendel
Henri Bendel is an American upscale women's specialty store based in New York City that sells fashion accessories, cosmetics and fragrances, gifts and gourmet foods...
, Barneys and Neiman Marcus
Neiman Marcus
Neiman Marcus, formerly Neiman-Marcus, is a luxury specialty retail department store operated by the Neiman Marcus Group in the United States. The company is headquartered in the One Marcus Square building in Downtown Dallas, Texas, and competes with other department stores such as Saks Fifth...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Elizabeth Emanuel
After the couple separated in 1990 and later divorced, Elizabeth retained the Brook Street studio and salon under her label Elizabeth Emanuel. In the same year, Elizabeth was commissioned by The Walt Disney CompanyThe Walt Disney Company
The Walt Disney Company is the largest media conglomerate in the world in terms of revenue. Founded on October 16, 1923, by Walt and Roy Disney as the Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio, Walt Disney Productions established itself as a leader in the American animation industry before diversifying into...
, to design a gown for Snow White
Snow White
"Snow White" is a fairy tale known from many countries in Europe, the best known version being the German one collected by the Brothers Grimm...
on the films 60th anniversary.
In 1991, Elizabeth designed the complete range of Virgin Atlantic uniforms, luggage and accessories. She was also asked to design wedding outfits for Sir Richard Branson
Richard Branson
Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson is an English business magnate, best known for his Virgin Group of more than 400 companies....
, Joan and their children for the couples wedding. Following this Britannia Airways
Britannia Airways
Britannia Airways was the largest charter airline in the United Kingdom, rebranded as Thomsonfly in 2005. Its main bases were Gatwick, London Luton, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle and Glasgow...
, asked Elizabeth to design a brand new image and uniform for staff and cabin crew which was launched in April 1997. In 1995 Elizabeth designed the costumes for the full length period feature film, The Changeling, directed by Marcus Thompson
Marcus Thompson
Marcus Thompson is a violist and viola d'amore player known for his work as a recitalist, orchestral soloist, chamber musician, recording artist and educator....
and starring Ian Drury and Billy Connelly, which went on general release in 1999.
To be able to expand the business, in 1997 she went into partnership with Hamlet International. To enable them license new products, she assigned them her business and all its assets, and together, they formed a company called Elizabeth Emanuel Plc. But after it quickly went into administration, the assets and registered trade mark were sold to Frostprint, which changed its name to Elizabeth Emanuel International. Elizabeth left after one month, and shortly afterwards the registered trade mark was sold to Oakridge Trading, owned by Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
businessman Shami Ahmed
Shami Ahmed
Eaitisham "Shami" Ahmed is a Pakistani born British founder of the Joe Bloggs clothing brand.Born in Pakistan, his parents emigrated to England in 1964, when he was aged 2. His father Nizam started a profitable retail clothing business Ahmed Hosiery, in Burnley...
. After the pair fell out and Elizabeth went to court to reclaim her brand, as a result of huge public interest, the BBC filmed two 45 minute documentaries of her work over the course of two years, Frocky Horror Show and Blood on the Carpet. Elizabeth lost the case in a landmark hearing.
Contractually tied to either producing public work for a label that she didn't own or singular commissions, Elizabeth chose to concentrate on the latter. In October 1997 Elizabeth was commissioned to produce the wedding dress for Estee Lauder
Estée Lauder Companies
Estée Lauder Companies, Inc. is a manufacturer and marketer of prestige skincare, makeup, fragrance and hair care products. The company has its headquarters in Midtown Manhattan, New York City.-History:...
's forthcoming international television campaign for the perfume Beautiful featuring Elizabeth Hurley
Elizabeth Hurley
Elizabeth Jane Hurley is an English model and actress who became known as a girlfriend of Hugh Grant in the 1990s. In 1994, as Grant became the focus of worldwide media attention due to the global box office success of his film Four Weddings and a Funeral, Hurley accompanied him to the film's Los...
. In July 1998 Elizabeth was again commissioned by Estee Lauder for their Pleasures campaign, again featuring Elizabeth Hurley.
From 2001-2002 she worked as the designer for The Luxury Brand Group concentrating on the development of their newly acquired Norman Hartnell
Norman Hartnell
Sir Norman Bishop Hartnell, KCVO was a British fashion designer. Royal Warrant as Dressmaker to HM The Queen 1940, subsequently Royal Warrant as Dressmaker to HM Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother...
brand. In November 2003 Elizabeth designed the costumes for a short film starring David Ginola
David Ginola
David Karl Ginola is a French former international football player who has also worked as an actor and model.Ginola was born in Gassin, Var...
, filmed in France and premièred at the Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
. In May 2004, Elizabeth designed violinist Vanessa Mae’s outfit and her dancers’ costumes for the Classical Brit awards
Classical Brit Awards
The Classic BRIT Awards are an annual awards ceremony held in the United Kingdom covering aspects of classical music, and are the classical equivalent of pop music's BRIT Awards....
at the Albert Hall
Albert Hall
Albert P. Hall is an American actor.Born in Brighton, Alabama, Hall graduated from the Columbia University School of the Arts in 1971. That same year he appeared Off-Broadway in The Basic Training of Pavlo Hummel and on Broadway in the Melvin Van Peebles musical Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death...
. Elizabeth created costumes with Mike Batt
Mike Batt
Michael Philip "Mike" Batt is a British songwriter, musician, producer and Deputy Chairman of the British Phonographic Industry...
for his musical The Hunting of the Snark
The Hunting of the Snark (musical)
The Hunting of the Snark is a musical based on Lewis Carroll's poem "The Hunting of the Snark", written by composer Mike Batt.-History:The musical began life in 1984 as a costumed concert with the London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican, conducted by Mike Batt and starring Paul Jones as the Baker...
first performed at The Albert Hall.
Elizabeth designed for the Ballet Rambert and for Robert North's Fabrications by the London Contemporary Dance Theatre. She also designed the costumes for Wayne Eagling
Wayne Eagling
Wayne Eagling is a former Principal dancer of the Royal Ballet in London and is a leading international choreographer and director....
’s production Frankenstein
Frankenstein
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel about a failed experiment that produced a monster, written by Mary Shelley, with inserts of poems by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Shelley started writing the story when she was eighteen, and the novel was published when she was twenty-one. The first...
, The Modern Prometheus.
Art of Being
In August 2005 she opened her new studio in Little Venice, and the launch of her new label Art Of Being.In February 2007 Elizabeth completed a multi-feature DVD called Metamorphosis, one of the wedding dresses from which features in the film Outlaw directed by Nick Love
Nick Love
Nick Love is a British film director and writer. Love came to public attention in the UK after making the films The Football Factory, The Business and The Firm. He has two 'Millwall' tattoos, including one on the inside of his bottom lip.Love is well known for collaborating with actor Danny Dyer...
. In the credits, Elizabeth’s name and the Art of Being brand are both mentioned. In February 2008 Elizabeth designed a range of wedding gowns for high street department store chain British Home Stores, and also started creating pieces for both ITV's the X Factor
The X Factor (UK)
The X Factor is a British television music competition to find new singing talent. Created by Simon Cowell, it began in September 2004 and is contested by aspiring singers drawn from public auditions. It is the originator of the international X Factor franchise. The seven series of the show to date...
and Britain's Next Top Model
Britain's Next Top Model
Britain and Ireland's Next Top Model is a British reality television show in which a number of women compete for the title of Britain's Next Top Model and a chance to start their career in the modelling industry...
.
In 2010, Elizabeth formally launched new label Art of Being, which she described as being styled around "the faded grandeur and decadence of Venice at the turn of the century". In a quest for finance to expand the business, she engaged with "Lord" Edward Davenport's finance company Gresham Ltd. After Emanuel deposited £20,000 in approval and due diligence
Due diligence
"Due diligence" is a term used for a number of concepts involving either an investigation of a business or person prior to signing a contract, or an act with a certain standard of care. It can be a legal obligation, but the term will more commonly apply to voluntary investigations...
fee's, Davenport withdrew the companies offer of a £1 million loan. Davenport was subsequently jailed in September 2011 for his part in a £4.5 million advanced-fee fraud.
In September 2010 Elizabeth returned to the catwalk during London Fashion Week
London Fashion Week
London Fashion Week is an apparel trade show held in London, England twice each year, in February and September. It is one of the "Big Four" fashion weeks, along with New York Fashion Week, Milan Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week.-Organization:...
showing her Little Black Dress Collection.
Books
- 1983: A Style for All Seasons - A coffee table book tracking the Emanuel glamour through the seasons of the year and was commissioned by Pavilion Books and published in 1983
- 2006, A Dress for Diana - Co-written by David Emanuel was published by Anova/Pavilion in the UK and distributed by Harper Collins in the US.