Jean Muir: Beyond Fashion

With the closure of Jean Muir Ltd. in 2007, interest in the life and work of the Iconic British fashion designer has never been greater. Jean Muir (1928-1995), doyenne of dressmaking, is forever associated with the ‘little black dress’. Her signature style married a distinctive purity of line with a soft fluidity on the body, to create the sensuous, deceptively simple clothes that became her trademark, epitomised by her work in matte jersey, and in particular her jersey dresses, which brought her legendary status in an internationally-renowned career that spanned four decades. Working with a range of fabrics, which apart from her matte jersey included wools, silks, suedes, leather, and fine cashmere, she was the first designer on the international stage to apply couture quality and craftsmanship in her collections. Whilst the French accorded her the title ‘la nouvelle Reine de la Robe’, the actress Joanna Lumley, a Jean Muir house model in the ’70s, who has worn Muir designs ever since, famously stated that, ‘every woman should have a Jean Muir in her wardrobe’. Her designs were constant favourites with artistic, literary, and dramatic personalities drawn to the discreet luxe and timeless femininity of her clothes: Dame Judi Dench, Dame Maggie Smith, Lady Olivier, Charlotte Rampling, Lauren Bacall, Barbra Streisand, Bridget Riley, Dame Elisabeth Frink, Lady Antonia Fraser, Dame Diana Rigg, whose actress daughter, Rachael Stirling now also wears Muir. This beautifully illustrated book highlights the variety and appeal of a career that covered every aspect of the fashion world, and includes many of Muir’s sketches, as well as photography by Norman Parkinson, David Bailey, Eric Boman, Barry Lategan, Sarah Moon, Deborah Turbeville, Helmut Newton and Arthur Elgort. It has written contributions from Lady Antonia Fraser, Sir Roy Strong, Bridget Riley, Suzy Menkes, Fashion Editor of The International Herald Tribune, and Alexandra Shulman, Editor-in-Chief of British VOGUE, amongst others.