Cryséde silk blouse, 1929

St Ives, Cornwall

Home-made, hand stitched blouse of Cryséde hand block-printed silk crêpe-de Chine in unknown design. Red ground with brown and cream trees and landscape motifs. Straight-cut style with long sleeves and plain cuffs, vee neck with collar and neck bow fastening of plain red silk.

Many of the homemade Cryséde pieces seen today are made from remnants or refashioned garments. Most women could not afford the expensive silk Cryséde garments, but its staff were allowed to purchase remnants of silk for a fraction of the price. They then made their own pieces at home. Before the 1970s, it was typical to reclaim and refashion worn out garments into other pieces.

Materials

Associations

Silk 

Silk manufactured by Cryséde Ltd.
Donated by Alec Walker’s grandson.