Hi everyone, just an update on this lovely frock, which Louise tasked me with investigating. I found the dress!
The print is called Daisy D94 and was one of LA's earliest florals, created in 1966 (the 'D' stands for '64, each year had a different letter).
The dress itself was made in the print in 1968 and was available in several colourways. Although I failed to find another red on pink, like Lou's, I did find these: the first one is the dress in two colourways on display at the Bath Fashion Museum's Laura Ashley exhibition a few years ago.
Image source: Laura Ashley blog.
The Daisy D94 in three other colourways: white on purple, blue and mustard.
Image source: Preloved blog, which also includes the code for which year prints were made by letter.
Here's the print in a slightly different style of dress, with a centre front button opening. Image source:
Bible of British Taste.
And finally, here's the shift dress in
the collection of the National Museum of Wales, in a brown print on orange (very late '60s). This source helpfully provides some measurements so upon viewing the dress yesterday I was able to determine that the hem had actually been taken down since it was made - as well as other alterations to give it more shape. This is a very well-loved dress that I estimate has gone through at least four owners since being made, as it revealed evidence of three different alteration skill-levels. And still it's tough and beautiful.
As we know, the UK was the place to be in the late '60s and I wonder if an adventurous young Australian spent some time there and brought it home with her, it's the perfect summer dress and here you'd get to wear it for much of the year.
I'm really glad that it has a happy and appreciative new home and enjoyed this treasurehunt, to find out more about this dress. Thanks, Louise.
