Mrs Thatcher’s personal assistant “Crawfie” was Cynthia Crawford who played a huge part in the image styling we knew Margaret Thatcher as. The Classic skirt suits, handbags, pearls conservative colours literally.
Margaret Thatcher’s collection of some 300 cloths was offered to the V&A museum. It was said discussions began around the acquisition of outfits for the museum. Through various reasons, the decision to take or the offer to give did not work out.
“politely declined the offer of Baroness Thatcher’s clothes, feeling that these records of Britain’s political history were best suited to another collection which would focus on their intrinsic social historical value.”
V&A Museum statement
As no home could be found for the vast collection of cloths, the bulk of Margaret Thatcher’s cloths and bags went to Auction at Christies.
Thatcher’s cloths collection lost for the nation
It is difficult to mull over the loss of the whole cloths collection findings a home in one of the grand London Museums. What ever your politics, and more so if you where from that 80s generation, seeing again some of those iconic cloths that you last saw on your screen on News and Ten or the 9 o’clock news.
What a way to take you back to that Kodak / Polaroid colour Gorbachev era. So I for one think the museum missed out on that.
The V&A gets the opportunity
All was not lost, the V&A ran an exhibit with a number of items from the collection gifted by the family. Items included the brimmed hat that was worn at Ronald Reagans funeral amongst other items. The items presented the opportunity for the V&A to record a sample of the wardrobe of one of the most influential political figures of that era.
Thatcher’s cloths at Christies Auction House
Several coats with Faux Fur trims. There was a touch of real mink though on the collar of a cashmere coat, camel coloured. At Auction selling for £30,000 in 2015. Strategic hats by the Royal milliner Philip Somerville. Power dressing was in full swing as the Prime Minister visited the Soviet Union.
The Margaret Thatcher archive released many sketches and details about the wardrobe items, stylists mentioned also kept logs giving a good record in terms of social fashion history. The Brands being worn were British.
- Handbag Navy Blue Lizard with gold-tone hardware from around 1990 by Asprey.
- An 18 Carat Gold Ring with large Amethyst stone from 1968
- Parliament logo desk blotter
- Hardstone “Pebble” Bracelet from the 1960s. A present from her Husband Denis that she wore all the time.
- 3 chiffon Evening Gowns from the mid-1980s.
- Sapphire Diamond and cultured pearl necklace
- 3 black evening garments from the late 1980s. Photographs show Margaret Thatcher wearing them to an evening dinner event with Ronald and Nancy Regan 1981.
- 3 Winter coats one black, one bottle green one cornflower blue wool and a pair of black high boots.
- Aquascutum and Jean Muir and Rayne
- Camilla Milton Dinner suits one with two skirts, one short one long early 2000 era. Blue glittery fabric.
- The 2nd Camilla Milton Suit a creamy beige colour. The outfit described as café au lait satin, with gilt tiny crackled pattern effect Dress and Jacket.
- Multi-stranded cultured pearl and diamond necklace bracelet and earrings set, Chaumet
