Evening Dress by Madame Clapham, Hull, c.1920-1929
The simple, straight shape of this dress with no waist was all the rage in the 1920s. Tight corsets, layers of lining, long trains and elaborate bodices were abandoned for a freer style. This reflected womenâs new freedom following the First World War (1914-1918). Women gained the right to vote, and some of the former restrictions of dress and society were relaxed. Wearing a dress that showed off the legs like this one would have been unthinkable before the War. This dress was made by Madame Clapham, Hullâs most famous dressmaker. Emily Clapham opened her dressmaking salon in Kingston Square, Hull, in 1887. By the 1890s she was regarded as Hullâs finest dressmaker. All of Madame Claphamâs clothes were handmade to order. The salon attracted an international clientele of rich and stylish ladies during its heyday in the 1890s and early 1900s. The First World War had a dramatic effect on Madame Claphamâs business. Ladies swapped dresses for voluntary service uniforms, resulting in declining demand for Madame Claphamâs outfits. Attitudes and social codes changed after the war with women gaining the vote. Madame Claphamâs extravagant feminine designs became less popular as young women adopted the new shorter, straighter style of the 1920s. The typical 1920s style of this dress shows that Madame Clapham did try to adapt to new trends. However, she lost her most fashionable clients as they looked to the Paris fashion houses for the latest designs. Although her business declined during the 1920s and 1930s, Madame Clapham was still patronised by her older pre-war clients. Sometimes their unwilling daughters were brought to her salon to be fitted for dresses too. Madame Claphamâs business also suffered from the growth of ready-to-wear clothing increasingly available from Hull stores such as Thornton Varley. However, she ran her salon until her death in 1952, when her niece Emily Wall took over until 1967.
