Original no. 16
autumn 1942
Materials
Grey herringbone wool, metal buttons, grosgrain bow; jacket lined with artificial silk
House / label
Utility / Incorporated Society of London Fashion Designers
Collection
Autumn 1942 Utility prototype collection
Archive reference
Victoria and Albert Museum · T.45 to C-1942
Behind the design
The Board of Trade commissioned this jacket, skirt and blouse as one of 32 Utility prototypes for economical production. Digby Morton’s initials and a label in the blouse support the attribution. CC41-shaped buttons identify the scheme; using the cloth’s selvedge as the blouse hem saved fabric and reduced bulk.