Description:  This evening dress was worn by Maud Messel. It is made of green silk chiffon, trimmed with pearls and a Greek key pattern. The waistband is made of gold gauze and silver twisted braid, with a stylised floral motif in glass beads and pearls. The dress is in the high waisted Empire style. It is designed by the London court dressmaker Sarah Fullerton Monteith Young. She was Maud Messel’s favourite designer, who created mildly artistic and moderately aesthetic dresses. This dress dates from circa 1906-1908 and is typical of Maud Messel’s romantic and fashionable style at this time.

This dress is part of the Messel Dress Collection, which includes six generations of one family’s clothes dating from 1870 - 2005.

Loaned by the Estate of Anne, Countess of Rosse, made available courtesy of the Earl of Snowdon to Brighton Museum & Art Gallery in 1981