Victoria and Albert Museum: Archive of Art and Design
Introduction and summary description
| Creator: | Richard O. Porter | |
| Reference: | AAD/1995/10 | |
| Extent: | 7 files |
Richard O. Porter managed Vivian Porter & Co. Ltd, a ladieswear and sportswear wholesalers which was founded in 1902 in premises at 9 - 10 Holles Street, London. Initially it manufactured only ladieswear but in the 1920s it expanded its range to include specialised sports fashions. It sold garments to a number of stores, including Altman's in New York and Harvey Nichols and Woollands in London. Designers who worked for the firm included Margaret Parker and Phyllis Wise. Porter was actively involved in many aspects of the wholesale clothing industry and belonged to the Wholesale Fashion Trades Association. He contributed a number of articles to trade journals such as the Drapers Record and was Chairman of the Fashion Display Committee for the British Industries Fair in 1937.
Albums of press cuttings, designs and photographs (1902-1951).
Gift of the London College of Fashion to the National Art Library, 1993. Transferred within the National Art Library to the National Art Library, Archive of Art and Design, 1995. The albums are marked R.O. Porter bequest.
General information on access to material in the Archive of Art and Design is available on the archive pages of the NAL website.
Catalogues and indexes
This online catalogue is a complete description of the archive to file level. A summary description is also included on the National Art Library computer catalogue, and in the published Guide to the Archive of Art and Design
| Reference | Description | Dates | ||
| AAD/1995/10/1 | Original designs, particularly
Edwardian dress designs by
Helen
Jones, and photographs with model numbers and price. 1 volume Includes items from collection of loose items, added in 1975. The album is labelled 'R.O. Porter bequest 1902-1945, V.P. Fashions Year by Year'. | 1902-1945 | ||
| AAD/1995/10/2 | Advertisements and photographs of
Vivian Porter garments, occasionally annotated with name of newspaper/journal;
photographs of Vivian Porter offices in Holles St. (1935), which were bombed
during the Second World War; photographs of staff; original designs for
garments. 1 volume The album is labelled 'R.O. Porter bequest 1934-1946, V.P. Sketches and Advertising'. | 1902-1946 (bulk 1934-1946) | ||
| AAD/1995/10/3 | Presscuttings on Vivian Porter &
Co Ltd and the clothing industry in general, occasionally annotated with the
name of the newspaper or journal, and cross-referenced to other articles in
scrapbooks; advertisements from
Vogue,
invitations to shows, and lists of garments at shows. 1 volume The album is labelled 'R.O. Porter bequest 1926-1951'. | 1926-1951 | ||
| AAD/1995/10/4 | Invitations, presscuttings, examples
of firm's stationery, and brochures. 1 volume The album is labelled 'R.O. Porter bequest 1926-1937'. | 1926-1937 | ||
| AAD/1995/10/5 | Presscuttings, memos, and photographs
of staff at Vivian Porter & Co Ltd. 1 volume The album is labelled 'R.O. Porter bequest 1927-1934'. | 1927-1934 | ||
| AAD/1995/10/6 | Pencil, pen and coloured wash fashion
sketches, and printed 'selection from our collection.' 1 volume The album is labelled 'R.O. Porter bequest, collection of undated loose material'. | [n.d.] | ||
| AAD/1995/10/7 | Photographs for models and publicity
sketches. 1 volume The album is labelled 'R.O. Porter bequest, collection of undated loose material'. | [n.d.] |