MuseumGirlKnitZ

MuseumGirlKnitZ

blogging about yarn & musing on history

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Category: maison redfern

May 22, 2021September 3, 2023 museumgirlknitz

The Material Culture of Dress

February 1, 2021September 3, 2023 museumgirlknitz

It all started with a dress…

December 20, 2018September 3, 2023 museumgirlknitz

Redfern’s neighborhood

January 10, 2018November 15, 2022 museumgirlknitz

A lot of little details make a paragraph

December 1, 2017September 4, 2023 museumgirlknitz

Chasing the Dress (part 2)

November 15, 2017September 4, 2023 museumgirlknitz

Chasing the Dress

KCB timeline

  • 1853 - born Airlie Plantation, NE Louisiana
  • 1863 - family moved to Texas; father died
  • 1865 - sent to live with aunt in New York
  • 1876 - married CRB in Memphis, Tennessee
  • 1877 - son James Carson born
  • 1881 - daughter Mary Carson born
  • 1883 - daughter Susanna Preston Lees born
  • 1882 - CRB elected congressman from Arkansas
  • 1891 - became charter member 146 of Daughters of the American Revolution
  • 1894 - CRB appointed minister to Russia; family traveled to Saint Petersburg; CRB & KCB attended wedding of Nicholas & Alexandra
  • 1895 - son Clifton Rodes Breckinridge, Jr. born
  • 1896 - CRB & KCB attended coronation of Nicholas & Alexandra; traveled Europe with children
  • 1898 - returned to United States
  • 1900 - CRB appointed to Dawes Commission; CRB & KCB moved to Fort Smith, Arkansas
  • 1914 - returned to Europe with daughter and son
  • 1921 - died    

Who was Redfern?

John Redfern was an English tailor who first established a name for himself on the Isle of Wight. His claim to fame was designing women’s sports wear in the 1870s. And by 1881 he had shops (or salons) in London and Paris. His son Ernest supervised the London location while Charles Poytner supervised the Paris branch. In 1888 Redfern was named the official dressmaker for Queen Victoria.

No surprise Redfern had such luck with clients. When you are appointed dressmaker for Queen Victoria, you might get a few of her relatives to buy your gowns as well! In addition to the Queen, Maison Redfern counted among its clientele the Princess of Wales (later Queen Alexandra, wife of Edward VII), Queen of Denmark (Louise of Hesse-Kassell), Queen of Portugal (Maria Pia of Savoy), Tsarina Maria of Russia, and Princess Alix of Hesse-Darmstadt (later Tsarina Alexsandra of Russia).

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