Item 14 - Letter to H.W.Yoxall

Identity area

Reference code

Beaton/D/1/2/14

Unique identifier

GB 275 Beaton/D/1/2/14

Title

Letter to H.W.Yoxall

Date(s)

  • 30 July 1952 (Creation)

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2p paper

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(1904-1980)

Biographical history

Photographer, artist, writer, and designer of scenery and costumes. Educated at Harrow and St John's College, Cambridge, 1922-5. Made his name as a photographer through portraits of the Sitwells. Employed by Vogue in London and New York. Published 'The Book of Beauty' (1930). Photographed the Duke of Windsor's wedding, 1937. War photographer, 1939-45. Designed 'Lady Windermere's Fan', 1945. Designed costumes for 'An Ideal Husband' and 'Anna Karenina', 1948. Worked on 'The School for Scandal', 1949, 'Quadrille' for Noel Coward, 1952, 'Turandot', 1961, and 'La Traviata', 1966. Designed costumes for 'My Fair Lady', 1956, and for the film version in Hollywood, 1963. His play 'The Gainsborough Girls', 1951 and 1959, was unsuccessful. Published 'The Glass of Fashion' (1954), and six volumes of diaries. Exhibited photographs at the National Portrait Gallery, 1968. Knighted 1972.

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Typescript letter in response to Yoxall's letter dated 15th July. Beaton apologises for the delay in replying to him and confirms that he would like to continue to work with Conde Nast and in accordance with the terms suggested by them. Beaton adds that he works best when there is a lot to achieve in a short time, and so would be very pleased if the Editor, Audrey Withers, would offer more sittings to him. He believes that he can make a greater contribution to the magazine. Beaton concludes with a request that, since he will need to travel to America earlier in the autumn in order to be back for the Coronation, the American 'Vogue' office might welcome him at the end of September.

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