Passenger Fashion Gallery

That is an interesting thought. I don't know where this kimono comes from but I would call it a cape, or coat or something like that. You might keep it though if you were superstitious, I don't know. I don't think it is a bathrobe anyway. When I have looked at my books I will post anything I find.
 
The kimono/dressing gown was indeed saved by Lucile and a description of it appears in a letter as well as a 1912 published source. Edith Rosenbaum made a mistake about it being embroidered, an easy one to make if you don’t examine the garment closely. There’s an intricate raised surface to the printed design that looks embroidered. The current owner and myself are working with the family to see that it is returned to them, as it is their wish to have the garment completely repaired by a conservateur associated with the V&A, who is also a friend of theirs. The information about it came from the late Lord Halsbury; his descendents were unaware of the provenance until myself and another researcher Kevin Jones identified it, although they did know early on of the possibility that it was one of the kimonos/robes/etc that Lucile wore off the Titanic.

I say “one” of them, because it’s clear from a letter by Laura Francatelli that Lucile wore two such garments under her fur coat; the other piece is possibly still in the family’s possession but is as yet unidentified. The family, incidentally, isn’t working with any researcher or collector connected with the dressing gown/kimono, and I also know they wish details of the current arrangements to be kept private.

By the way, the image posted above is a photo that I took of the kimono when it was in my possession (from 1999-2001). It was loaned to this site’s editor Phil Hind to post here to ET. He removed the original background.
 
I am sure Randy Bigham is right that it was worn by Lucile, but I am still not sure that it is the bathrobe, because there is no fur on it. I am a bit unsure that Edith Rosenbaum would get the embroidery wrong because she was a fashion journalist, and would have known all about Fortuny and his printing. I wonder who Lucile gave it to after the disaster?, that would be interesting to find out. It is really lovely to hear that anyone would be so generous as to return such a wonderful, personal and valuable garment to a survivors family, they must be really grateful. It makes a heart-warming change from the thieving scumbag who has been stealing Lucile pictures, that is mentioned on another thread. Anyway, I found out that the pattern is called Cretan and Coptic border, but there are no shapes like this that are bathrobes, they are all coats or capes. I am going to dig out my old exhibition catalogue and check that, it might say more about the original design too. It would be wonderful if the other garment could be found.

I looked at Christies .Com and there is a wonderful picture of the Francatelli life belt. it is in unbelievable condition. It looks brand new. if I had £80,000 to throw away I would be bidding!!!
 
I would say that since Lady Caroline, LDG's relative has posted on this board, maybe she could give some insight into the matter of the kimono? Hopefully, she sees this thread.
 
There is a thread ,Sashka, which I will attempt to find about existant survivor apparel. I had posted Edith Russell's slippers (mules) and Louise Kink Pope's shoes. I believe Mrs. Astor's scarf is also posted, which had been in the possession of the Aks family.
 
>The current owner and myself are working with the family to see that it is returned to them,

Thank fortune! The tale is an intriguing one, every bit as heartwarming as Sashka says. Can we expect that you, the current owner, and Lucile's heirs will be collaborating on an extended article about the sale, exhibition, return, and preservation of the gown after all is accomplished? I understand that Lucile's heirs are private people and would not want this exploited in a mass-market publication, but perhaps a scholarly piece in one of the more reputable journals would be acceptable to them? Though we've disagreed, heatedly, in the past, I would like to extend a public apology on the forum where most of them have unfolded, and make a sincere offer to help, in any way I can, with the creation of this article. It has potential to be a landmark of sorts, and any contribution I can make is willingly offered.
 
From perusing the thread Shelley posted, it seems the blue veil that I said was Edwina Trout's might have been Selena Cook's. I haven't looked through the Craig book in years.

Sorry for the mistake.
 
At the request of Adam Giffard, Lady Caroline Blois and Lady Clare Lindsay, the heirs of Lady Duff-Gordon, I am posting the following statement which will be the only one made by them:

"The descendants of Lady Duff Gordon disassociate themselves from any recent claims made regarding the Duff Gordon Kimono. This is a private family matter, and will remain so. "
 
I have been looking after a sick child all day, and come back to this. I don't know what to say.:-( Oh well, Thank you for the post link which I have read. it is amazing when you look at it how many articles of clothing there still are. It would be so wonderful to see them all together in a book or something. I saw a Youtube that was mentioned on another thread of survivors in the 1950's. One (I forget her name now) had the dress she was wearing on that night, hung up in the background. When I have more time, and am not running an infirmary, I will try and find it again and see who it was.
 
Seeing Mr. Aks story reminds me that he was one of the many 'recipients' of Mrs. Astors generosity. If you believed everyone that said she gave up a piece of clothing, with no strings attached, she must have been naked in the boat!
 
I'm glad you raised that, Michael. Just as every survivor seems to have left the ship in 'the last lifeboat', so they were all apparently the recipients of Madeleine Astor's charity! I do think that stories like these should be taken with a hefty dose of salt...

On the subject of survivor clothing - it does strike me that many, despite the generosity of the passengers and crew of the 'Carpathia', would have reached New York on 18th April still dressed in the motley attire they had thrown on in the early hours of 15th. For all the survivors, regardless of class, this cannot have been particularly pleasant, especially when one thinks of the extra pressure on bathrooms and laundry facilities...

Crumpled, dirty and possibly even sea-stained (I'm thinking of those who sat with water up to their shins), I doubt that many garments were deemed worthy of preservation, once back on dry land.
 
>>So their clothes were even grubbier upon arrival in New York than I imagined!<<

That would be a reasonable assumption to make.

These days, you would be hard pressed to find a passenger vessel short of a ferry that doesn't have a laundry aboard, but back in 1912, the reverse tended to be true. The issue in this case was water. The evaporators on a seagoing vessel in that age didn't even come close to having the capacity to produce the required amount of fresh water to do the job, so pride of place went to keeping up the supplies of fresh water for the boilers.

Laundries had to wait for improved evaporators to come along. Even then, it was quite common to do some of the wash in salt water with fresh being saved for the rinse cycles. This would be adaquate for most forms of every day wear, but can you imagine telling some 1st Class lady that some of her finest would be getting a salt water bath?
 

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