Michael Sherard (17 July 1910 – 26 December 1998) was a British fashion designer and a member of the Incorporated Society of London Fashion Designers, which represented the British couture industry in the wartime and post-war years. Operating his own label from the 1940s to 1960s, he is remembered primarily for his evening and occasion gowns. He also helped train future British designers, including
Caroline Charles
Caroline Mary Charles (born 18 May 1942) is a British fashion designer.
Early life and education
Caroline Mary Charles was born on 18 May 1942, in Cairo, Egypt to British parents, Noel St. John Fairhurst and Helen T. Williams. From a young ag ...
, and was later a design academic.
Early life and career
Michael Sherard was born Malcolm Henry Sherrard, recorded in portraits of his family now held by the
National Portrait Gallery National Portrait Gallery may refer to:
*National Portrait Gallery (Australia), in Canberra
*National Portrait Gallery (Sweden), in Mariefred
*National Portrait Gallery (United States), in Washington, D.C.
*National Portrait Gallery, London, with s ...
. Later he would change his professional name, but insist that he was not a couturier but a dressmaker. Eustace and Ida Sherrard had five other sons and lived in Kingston-upon-Thames, then part of the county of
Surrey
Surrey () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in South East England, bordering Greater London to the south west. Surrey has a large rural area, and several significant urban areas which form part of the Greater London Built-up Area. ...
. Sherard's father was a
City
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
solicitor and his grandfather George C. Sherrard had been mayor of Kingston three times.
Sherard was educated at Berkhamsted School, where one of his teachers developed his love of the
classics
Classics or classical studies is the study of classical antiquity. In the Western world, classics traditionally refers to the study of Classical Greek and Roman literature and their related original languages, Ancient Greek and Latin. Classics ...
and encouraged his interest in drawing and theatre. He refused to follow his father and study law and was instead enrolled at Westminster School of Art, graduating in 1931.
He showed his work to Norman Hartnell – already a leading name in London couture – who turned him down as an assistant, recommending that he go to Paris. With his first choice rejecting him, Sherard secured a role as assistant to Peter Russell, known for his no-nonsense manner and designs for country ladies. While the two were not natural soulmates, Sherard did learn the business practicalities of running a couture house, but the stress of his job led to a
duodenal ulcer
Peptic ulcer disease (PUD) is a break in the inner lining of the stomach, the first part of the small intestine, or sometimes the lower esophagus. An ulcer in the stomach is called a gastric ulcer, while one in the first part of the intestines ...
Admiralty
Admiralty most often refers to:
*Admiralty, Hong Kong
* Admiralty (United Kingdom), military department in command of the Royal Navy from 1707 to 1964
*The rank of admiral
* Admiralty law
Admiralty can also refer to:
Buildings
*Admiralty, Tr ...
as an assistant in the trade division censoring
cables
Cable may refer to:
Mechanical
* Nautical cable, an assembly of three or more ropes woven against the weave of the ropes, rendering it virtually waterproof
* Wire rope, a type of rope that consists of several strands of metal wire laid into a hel ...
.
Establishment of label
One of Peter Russsell's couture clients, the opera singer
Ruth Vincent
Ruth Vincent (born Amy Ruth Bunn, 3 December 1873Connaught Street, Marble Arch; much of the financial backing came from their families. When the business opened, Peter Russell – who had by now also lost his client Ruth Vincent to Norman Hartnell because of his temper – is said to have remarked that Sherard was: "the wrong side of Edgware Road".
Although Sherard's salon was not in the best London location, his charm and attention to detail soon drew prestigious clients, including Margot Fonteyn, Margaret Lockwood, Phyllis Calvert and
Gladys Cooper
Dame Gladys Constance Cooper, (18 December 1888 – 17 November 1971) was an English actress, theatrical manager and producer, whose career spanned seven decades on stage, in films and on television.
Beginning as a teenager in Edwardian musi ...
. One of his early collections was sold to Chicago department store Marshall Field's, a significant boost for his business and British couture's reputation. In 1948, he joined the Incorporated Society of London Fashion Designers – entrance required a vote from existing members – making him one of the leading names in London fashion design. Sherard not only created gowns for private clients, but also costumes for some 30 West End theatre productions, including '' The Mousetrap'' and '' The Reluctant Debutante'', during this period.
His business had support from other members of the family, with his sister-in-law – referred to in a newspaper article simply as "Mrs Sherrard", the wife of his brother Peter – acting as his chief assistant, taking charge of the label's publicity and providing advice on collections.
By 1952, Sherard had accrued enough funds and reputation to move to a new salon in Curzon Street,
Mayfair
Mayfair is an affluent area in the West End of London towards the eastern edge of Hyde Park, in the City of Westminster, between Oxford Street, Regent Street, Piccadilly and Park Lane. It is one of the most expensive districts in the world. ...
and he also lived in nearby Albany for two years, sharing a grand apartment at a stellar London address with Fraser and two dachshunds Hansel and Humperdinck; it was the location of many parties. The events surrounding the Coronation of Elizabeth II created more business for the firm, with some 40 assistants creating outfits for a growing clientele.
Brand hallmarks
Lavish occasion outfits – whether New Look-inspired ballgowns or slimline and classical sheath dresses – were Sherard's forte and his bestsellers. Throughout the 1950s and early '60s, he developed variations on these themes, such as a black lace and taffeta flamenco-style cocktail dress that is now part of the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) archive and featured in its 2007 exhibition ''The Golden Age of Couture''. A 1961 review of his spring lines syndicated to the US and Canadian press describes his use of the 'wagtail' line (short at the front tapering to long at the back) on jackets. The review noted that he had even used this style to create a
bolero
Bolero is a genre of song which originated in eastern Cuba in the late 19th century as part of the trova tradition. Unrelated to the older Spanish dance of the same name, bolero is characterized by sophisticated lyrics dealing with love. It has ...
with full-length train for the bridal gown in his show's finale.
Later career
In the early 1950s Sherard attempted to branch out into ready-to-wear with a line known as Pumkin, but this proved unsuccessful. In common with other London couturiers, he found business increasingly difficult in the 1960s because of high production costs and the emergence of a new breed of youth-focused ready-to-wear designers. Sherard closed his business in 1964 and went on to lecture at London and Shoreditch Colleges of Fashion as a second career. He was elected fellow of the
Royal Society of Arts
The Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA), also known as the Royal Society of Arts, is a London-based organisation committed to finding practical solutions to social challenges. The RSA acronym is used m ...
(RSA) in 1966 and also became closely involved with the City liveries, acting as master of the
Worshipful Company of Girdlers
The Worshipful Company of Girdlers is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London.
Girdlers were granted the right to regulate their trade in the City from 1327 and obtained a Royal Charter in 1449. Girdlers, or makers of belts and g ...
(1959–60) and helping to organise the rebuilding of Girdlers' Hall (bombed during the war), for which he also laid the foundation stone. The stone laid is inscribed with Sherard's birth name – Malcolm Henry Sherrrard.
Legacy
Caroline Charles was among Sherard's assistants in the 1960s, subsequently moving on to Mary Quant before launching her own couture label that dressed both rock stars and royalty. The designer
Murray Arbeid
Murray Arbeid (1935–2011) was a British fashion designer, known for his eveningwear. His notable clients included Princess Diana and Shirley Bassey. He once joked that if there were a Nobel Prize for creations in taffeta, he would have won it. ...
– also noted for his elegant evening gowns – was an assistant at the fashion house. In 2012, Sherard's work formed part of the exhibition ''Glamour'', a retrospective of 100 years of evening wear held at the
Bath Museum of Costume
The Fashion Museum (known before 2007 as the Museum of Costume) is housed in the Assembly Rooms in Bath, Somerset, England.
The collection was started by Doris Langley Moore, who gave her collection of costumes to the city of Bath in 1963. Th ...
. Some of his designs and his work drawings also form part of the V&A fashion archive.