Fenwick’s of London: Edwardian Fashion, Tailoring, and Transatlantic Elegance (1905–1915)

📌 Explore the luxurious world of Fenwick’s tailored gowns, coats, and blouses through original ads and articles from the Cunard Daily Bulletin (1906–1915). A primary source goldmine for fashion historians, educators, and genealogists.

Fenwick’s of London – Tailored Elegance at Sea and Shore (1905–1915)

A GGA Archives Fashion Feature from Cunard's RMS Carmania Daily Bulletin

🎓 For Teachers, Students, Historians, and Genealogists

👗 Overview: The Refined World of Fenwick’s Fashion

The featured article and accompanying ads for Fenwick's of London are a masterclass in Edwardian style, transatlantic elegance, and the emergence of ready-to-wear sophistication that still carried the soul of couture. Tailored for first-class women who understood that being seen was nearly as important as the destination itself, Fenwick offered an enviable array of daywear, eveningwear, and bespoke suits—crafted in London, admired in Paris, and shipped across the globe.

This content isn’t just for the fashion lover; it’s an essential resource for:

🎓 Teachers and students exploring early 20th-century gender roles, travel, or fashion

🧬 Genealogists reconstructing the style lives of women ancestors

📜 Historians documenting the rise of luxury retail and global fashion exchange via ocean liners

Advertisement: Fenwick's of London - Tailored Gowns. (Cunard Daily Bulletin, Carmania Edition, 7 June 1906) | GGA Image ID # 1b648ff803

Being in First Class means seeing and being seen in the latest and greatest in fine Fashions for Women, such as those represented here by Fenwick of London, which specializes in Tailored Gowns, daywear, and eveningwear.

No matter how simple the style of our Tailor Gowns is, there is invariably some slight distinguishing characteristic that lifts them out of the ordinary run.

Fenwick

62 and 63, New Bond Street, London.

Fenwick's Coat and Skirt. (Cunard Daily Bulletin, Carmania Edition, 7 June 1906) | GGA Image ID # 1b64cd3973

A Fenwick Coat and Skirt, as sketched, Coat lined Ivory Duchesse Satin for the nominal price of 6 1/2 Guineas—other sketches, patterns, and self-measurement forms on application.

These perfectly constructed coats and skirts were sent to every part of the Empire. They were the channel of introduction to a large clientele. Our highly skilled fitters cut them and make them from reliable materials.

6 1/2 Guineas

Fenwick's Fashions of Today & Tomorrow

My recent visit to Fenwick's of New Bond Street left me in awe of the sheer elegance and sophistication of their model gowns—ideal for both everyday wear and glamorous evening events. Here, I showcase two of their latest Parisian designs, each a testament to the brand's commitment to timeless style.

The first is a visiting gown of pale grey de Ninon. With its voluminous folds, the skirt has corded piping at intervals, which helps stiffen and hold it out. The hand-nine trimmings of plaited silk and lace motives that run lengthways from the waist to the end of the skirt in the front give length to the figure and the requisite line. What's unique about this gown is the intricate plaited silk and lace motives that add a touch of elegance.

The bodice is particularly becoming and well-cut. The waist hue is well defined by a shaped licit, and the upper portion falls slightly full over the top of this. The graceful elbow sleeve gives an elegant finish to the whole. The dainty hat is in prune fine straw, with the palest of blush pink roses in a large cluster at one side.

Another charming gown is the dinner or evening dress in white mousseline de soie. The skirt is fully pleated in flat pleats from the waist, three parts down. It has a very handsome and practical insertion, shaped at the top in wide curves.

Narrow bands of white satin ribbon form a novel and pretty connecting link. Graduated flat folds of the mousseline de soie again intervene and finish the skirt at the head. The square-cut bodice is correspondingly trimmed and has a very full elbow sleeve. This gown is one of the latest French models and has been much admired by those who have seen it.

There were so many delightful new creations in day and evening coats, also in Fenwick's noted tailor-made, that it is well worth a visit before your spring outfit is completed.

Tailored Suits which Women Applaud

Women ever applaud the tailored suits that are en évidence in the salons of Fenwick, 63, New Bond Street, W. It is so pleasant to be able to study a constellation of really distinctive tailored suits and to know that one can have one specially built for one for 6 1/2 guineas.

This means one can introduce a few individual touches, which is paramount. Pictured on this page is one of the 6 1/2 guinea suits. In this instance, the fabricating medium is a unique coral pink corduroy; this idea could be expressed in serge, suiting, or faced cloth for the same price.

A Tailored Spring Suit in Coral Pink Corduroy Features a New Godet Skirt and Basque Coat. This Suit Can Also Be Made in Navy Blue or French Cloth and Looks Exceptionally Good at Fenwick’s. Illustration by Sergeant. (The Tatler, 17 March 1915) | GGA Image ID # 224975efaf

The charm of the colorings of these materials, each more unique than the last, must be seen and appreciated. As will be observed, the dress's skirt pictured is provided with a double tunic, the latter showing the new modish godet note.

I admired a model gown—the price was more than 6 1/2 guineas — carried out in navy blue suits. A yoke over the hips with a panel back and front imparted a decidedly attractive contour to the figure.

Below the yoke, there was a becoming flare. The new straight line was noticeable in the coat at the back, which was smartly decorated with a braid. No notice of this firm's specialties would be complete unless a few words about their blouses and shirts were said.

The excellence of the cut has no rival to fear unless it is the superior quality of the materials. Now, admirably tailored striped English silk shirts are from the 18s. 6d., and there's an infinite variety of styles in the Japanese silk shirts for which the house of Fenwick has ever had an enviable reputation.

From classic to contemporary, there is a wealth of choices, pretty crêpe de chine blouses filled with lisse and other decorative vests. Hem and faggot-stitching occupy róles of importance in the trimming of blouses. Again, clusters of "sprats," as they are technically called, enhance the charm of many blouses.

Bibliography

"Fashions of Today & Tomorrow," in The King and His Navy and Army: A Weekly Illustrated Journal for Society, The Salon, and The Services, Vol. XX, No. 431, Saturday, 6 May 1905, p. xiv.

M. E. Brooke, "The Highway of Fashion: Tailored Suits Which Women Applaud," In The Tatler: An Illustrated Journal of Society and the Drama, London, Vol. LV, No. 716, 17 March 1915, p. IV.

🌍 Relevance to Ocean Travel & Fashion History

Ocean liners like the RMS Carmania were not merely floating hotels—they were moving fashion runways. For first-class women, shopping at places like Fenwick before (or during) a voyage was as crucial as packing the right passport.

This article captures:

🔹 The mail-order revolution in high fashion: Fenwick shipped garments to every corner of the Empire, opening access to bespoke tailoring via self-measurement forms.

🔹 A rare glimpse of Parisian design through a British lens, just as the Edwardian silhouette reached its most refined state.

🔹 How women’s social expression through fashion was tied to visibility and travel—at the pier, promenade, parlor, or Parisian salon.

🌟 Most Engaging Content Highlights

1. Tailored Suit in Coral Pink Corduroy

🧵 “This suit... features a new godet skirt and basque coat. It can also be made in navy blue or French cloth and looks exceptionally good at Fenwick’s.”

🔹 The godet skirt, a then-novel innovation, offered dramatic flair while maintaining structure.

🔹 A subtle nod to individuality, where women could personalize fabric and cut—marking a shift toward empowerment through design.

2. Parisian-Inspired Gowns: Mousseline de Soie & de Ninon

“The bodice is particularly becoming... the dainty hat is in prune fine straw, with the palest of blush pink roses…”

🔹 Two elegant gowns, showcasing vertical embellishments and feminine elbow sleeves, echo Paris’s influence while maintaining Fenwick’s distinctly British poise.

🔹 The white mousseline de soie evening gown embodies Edwardian femininity: delicately pleated, ornamented with white satin ribbon and elbow sleeves.

3. Fenwick’s 6½ Guinea Special

“The coat is lined in ivory duchesse satin… perfectly constructed from reliable materials.”

For 6½ guineas, Fenwick delivered exquisite value, accessible tailoring, and cross-class elegance. A revelation in the age of custom fashion.

4. Blouses & Shirts for the Discerning Woman

“Admirably tailored striped English silk shirts… and Japanese silk shirts for which the house of Fenwick has ever had an enviable reputation.”

Shows Fenwick’s international sourcing and attention to detail, blending Eastern textiles with Western tailoring, ideal for globetrotting clientele.

🖼️ Noteworthy Images

🖼️ Fenwick's of London – Tailored Gowns Advertisement

📍 Cunard Daily Bulletin, RMS Carmania Edition, 7 June 1906 | 🖼️ GGA Image ID # 1b648ff803

Captures Fenwick’s branding as timeless, chic, and understated—a signal to readers of refinement and reliability.

🖼️ Fenwick's Coat and Skirt | 🖼️ GGA Image ID # 1b64cd3973

A richly detailed illustration that helps contextualize Edwardian travel fashion. Lined with ivory duchesse satin, it reinforces the marriage of luxury and practicality.

🖼️ Tailored Spring Suit in Coral Pink Corduroy (1915) | 🖼️ GGA Image ID # 224975efaf

Later but relevant—this Tatler illustration shows Fenwick’s design evolution, maintaining structure but adapting color and fabric to the pre-war moment.

📘 Brief Dictionary of Fashion Terms

Basque Coat: A fitted coat that flares at the waist, flattering the hips.

De Ninon: A fine, sheer fabric, named after Ninon de l’Enclos, popular for delicate gowns.

Duchesse Satin: A high-quality, heavy satin with a smooth finish, ideal for linings and bridalwear.

Godet: A triangular insert in a skirt to create flare and movement.

Mousseline de Soie: Lightweight, sheer silk muslin fabric, often used in eveningwear.

Sprats: A tailoring term referring to small pleats or tucks used in trimming blouses.

🏛️ Relevance for Educators, Students & Researchers

👩‍🏫 Teachers & Students

🔹 Use in fashion history, gender studies, or transatlantic commerce units

🔹 Pair with primary source analysis: How does tailored fashion reflect class, gender, or mobility?

🔹 Writing prompt idea: "How did Edwardian women's fashion shape their social presence while traveling?"

🧬 Genealogists

These ads help decode photographs of female ancestors or provide visual context for personal letters, diaries, or travel logs.

🕰️ Historians

🔹 Insight into the retail geography of London’s elite (Bond Street)

🔹 Fenwick’s global shipping and catalog practices mirror imperial commerce networks

💬 Final Thoughts – Why This Article Matters

The Fenwick’s profile isn’t merely an advertisement—it’s a cultural artifact, documenting a world where fashion, identity, and travel were deeply intertwined. Through meticulous tailoring, artistic design, and international reach, Fenwick empowered women to move confidently across geographies and social settings—whether they were arriving at Southampton, attending tea in New York, or promenading on deck aboard the RMS Carmania.

🧵 These documents are a seamstress’s sketchbook, a historian’s lens, and a student’s launchpad into a world that continues to influence how we view fashion, class, and global commerce.

📚 Encourage students and researchers to explore more fashion and travel resources at the GG Archives

📌 Perfect for essays, projects, and deeper investigations into the golden age of ocean travel and transatlantic fashion.