History’s Runway: The Anna Maria Garthwaite Gown, 1740-1780

The Garthwaite Floral Gown
Silk Brocade on Satin, 1740-1780
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The Victoria & Albert Museum

Designed by Anna Maria Garthwaite (born in Grantham, Lincolnshire, 1690, died in London, 1763) this elaborate gown was made in Spitalfields, London in the 1740s and altered in the 1780s

The gown has been altered into, at least, two different styles since it was originally crafted in silk in 1744. The value of the intricately made silk fabric made reusing it worthwhile--even 40 years later. The pattern of the silk is one that, even though it was the height of fashion in 1744, was still in style in 1780. Actually, the painted design for this silk (also by Anna Maria Garthwaite) is also in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum--dated April 22nd 1744.

Originally, based on the predominant styles of the 1740’s, this gown was most likely a “sack back” (a style with loose box pleats at the back to allow for a full display of the silk pattern). When first worked-up, the gown would have been open in the front, with folded-back robings and rectangular cuffs at each elbow.

Upon its alteration in the 1780s, the style of back became more fitted. Sadly, the alteration to the style of that time was sloppily executed. This suggests that the gown may have been handed down to a maid who reworked it for her own purposes.

A design of large sprays of flowers fill the width of the repeat of this masterpiece of brocaded colored silks on oyster-colored satin. The sprays of flowers are embellished by patterns of upward and downward trails of bright pink berries and rose buds. Other flowers in the brocade are roses, morning glory and auricula in shades of pink, fawn, lilac, white, black, blue, yellow, red, and a variety of greens.

Anna Maria Garthwaite received at least 40 commissions for silk designs from a Spitalfields master weaver called Mr. Gregory. According to the V&A, “There were a number of members of the Weavers' Company with the name Gregory.” In light of that, we do not know his exact identity. Still, the designs Garthwaite produced for this unknown Gregory are some of her most fashionable and attractive.