Identity area
Reference code
Beaton/D/1/6/11
Unique identifier
Title
Date(s)
- 8 October 1964 (Creation)
Level of description
Item
Extent and medium
2p paper
Context area
Name of creator
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.
Repository
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Typescript letter in which Beaton requests that any major queries regarding his working drawings, models and costume designs be raised with him during his short visit to New York, commencing 18th October. Beaton also discusses the possible use of encrustation on an unknown stage and writes that he would like to view samples of how such encrustation can be achieved. Finally, he re-iterates that he will be very disappointed if the task of making the costumes is not entrusted to Barbara Karinska, as he doubts whether the intricacy of the ball gowns could otherwise be achieved.