20th Century Items

This coat is part of the Messel Collection - a large collection of clothes worn by the Linley-Sambourne and Messel family - on loan to the museum from Lord Snowdon, Lord Rosse and Linley-Sambourne House Museum.

Anne Armstrong-Jones (née Messel, later the Countess of Rosse) was a fashionable society member who bought many of her clothes from leading couture houses.

The house of Reville was founded by William Wallace Terry in 1906 and was based in Hanover Square, London. The Chinese-style motifs on this dress reveal an element of international influence.

This pair of appliquéd silk camiknickers is part of a trousseau (special clothes made for a bride) for Lady Holman's second marriage in 1940.

It was made by Hermine who was based at 164 Bond Street, London. She made the most luxurious made-to-measure and intricately hand-worked lingerie.

Together with examples of 20th century lingerie the collection includes structured foundation garments such as corsets, girdles and cage-crinolines.

Camiknickers worn by Lady Holman, 1940

Martin Kidman studied fashion at Brighton Polytechnic (now the University of Brighton) and St Martin's College of Art. He started his own label in 1993 and is best known for his knitwear.

The museum is particularly keen to collect items by designers who studied at Brighton.

Another designer featured in the gallery is Barbara Hulanicki who created Biba. She trained at Brighton College of Art and later opened a branch of Biba on Queen's Road Brighton in 1966.

Knitted outfit by Martin Kidman