In 1937, the Windsors were planning their longed for wedding at the Chateau de Candé in France. Diana Vreeland testified to Wallis’ determination when it came to design “She knew exactly what she wanted” Wallis in another Schiaparelli design from the summer of 1937. “Then I won’t sit down in it”, Wallis retorted. At one fitting, Mainbocher protested that the cut of a skirt was so small around the waist that to cut it any smaller would mean Wallis could not sit down. Fashion designers could often be frustrated when the Duchess commissioned a garment. Wallis liked to tell stories with her gowns and accessories but she was also strict about her silhouette. She was an early devotee of costume jewellery and loved nature motifs with fruit, flowers, birds and even fish appearing throughout her expanding collection. In her youth, money was in short supply but the little she had was used to commission local dressmakers in Baltimore who worked from Wallis’ own designs for the fashions she craved but could not afford. To make this a reality, Wallis learned early the importance of a signature style. I’m nothing to look at, so the only thing I can do is dress better than anyone else” She once said, “I’m not a beautiful woman. This was not merely an amusing anecdote from Wallis’ childhood, it was a key part of her attitude to success. Aunt Bessie told Wallis “You told your mother you wanted a red sash so the boys would notice you”. In her memoir, The Heart Has It’s Reasons, Wallis remembered “According to my ever truthful aunt, I am supposed to have persuaded my mother, after a foot stamping scene, to substitute for the blue sash she wanted me to wear, with a red one”. Wallis learned early that fashion was an important calling card and she refused to compromise when it came to her style. Indeed, she disliked Chanel because Coco declined to change her creations to suit the Duchess’ ideas. What is perhaps not widely known is that the Duchess of Windsor was as much a part of the design process as the couturiers she favoured. Wallis has become synonymous with haute couture and fashion houses such as Givenchy and Mainbocher still proudly cite her as a former client. Indeed, just this week British Vogue featured a catalogue of her most iconic looks. Nearly 34 years after her death, the Duchess of Windsor continues to be celebrated for her sartorial style.
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