The History Dress: Sarah’s 1970s Skirt
I am delighted to introduce to you my latest History Dress post. The history item in question this time around is a 1970s printed skirt belonging to a very good friend of mine- Sarah Louborg. Sarah has the most fascinating family history and incredible personal style.
I met Sarah when studying fashion in NCAD. She is originally from Denmark, her mother was American and she was married to an Irish man which led to her fashion studies in Dublin.
She has now returned to in live Copenhagen and lives in a cool apartment in Vanlose with her (Very Viking-like) partner Tue. Sarah is a very talented fashion designer producing beautifully feminine collections and accessories with Scandinavian simplicity under her eponymous label Louborg.
Sarah’s History Dress is a beautiful printed skirt designed by Tue’s Mother -Anne Gry- and tells the story of Scandinavian textile design in the 1970s. It's history comes to us by way of Long Island, Copenhagen and Dublin. I’ll let Sarah and the skirt tell the story…
Ruaruth: How did you acquire the skirt?
Sarah: The skirt was given to me by my boyfriend’s mother Anne. She was a textile designer in the 1970s and 1980s in Copenhagen. She designed this print and her friend, whom she collaborated with, made the actual skirt.
Ruaruth: What was it about the skirt which attracted you to it?
Sarah: I really like the pattern and the colours in the skirt. I also love the fabric; a soft loose woven cotton. The design of the skirt is quite wide and simple. The whole skirt has elements that remind me of the Arts & Crafts movement of the early 20th century. It has a nice simplicity to it which I am very taken with.
Ruaruth: What era is it from?
Sarah: The skirt and print was designed in the 1970s. (In the picture above you can see Anne in her workshop and you can see that she is doing a series of prints with this specific design).
Ruaruth: What is the story behind this skirt?
Sarah: Anne, Tue’s Mom designed it and also wore it for a number of years in the 1970s while her kids were small, mainly when they lived in Morocco.
Ruaruth: Can you give me details about the style, fit and fabric?
Sarah: The style of it is timeless but I suppose there are some tell-tale signs that it was made in the 1970s. It has a minimalist look to it that I think a lot of clothes styles had from late 1970s and early 1980s. The fabric has an almost ‘organic aura’ about it. It feels light, the fabric is very soft, loose woven cotton. The colours are burgundy with a greenish/blue abstract twirl pattern on it.
Ruaruth: Where did you wear it to last?
Sarah: I wore it this summer on a trip to New York. We were on a tour of the high line garden in Chelsea. I wore it with a silver twisted bracelet that I was left when my Mom died. I like the way the bracelet and the skirt tell similar stories. They have a similarity in look of Arts & Crafts. The other thing I like about wearing the skirt and my Mom’s bracelet together is that they come from Tues mother and my mother and have been joined together by me. (See Sarah wearing the skirt in the images below)
Ruaruth: Where will you wear it next?
Sarah: I will probably wear it on a warm day to a nice reception or a day at work with my Mom’s bracelet and some other gold bracelets I have.
Ruaruth: How do people react to it?
Sarah: A lot of people have complimented me on it as they like the pattern and the unusual colourway.
Ruaruth: Why is it special?
Sarah: I like the simplicity, the ease of wear and of course the feeling of the history and love it has in its fibres.
