Renowned Irish fashion designer Sybil Connolly was known for her innovative use of traditional Irish textiles and her intricate, labour-intensive designs. She made a significant impact on the world of fashion during the mid-20th century and was celebrated for her ability to blend traditional Irish craftsmanship with contemporary design.
The Sybil Connolly collection at The Hunt Museum is home to an eclectic range of garments, homewares, sketchbooks and other ephemera. Some of the most loved items in the collection are maquettes. While at first glance, these miniatures may appear to be very fancy dolls’ clothes, maquettes are small-scale models or prototypes of a design often used in fashion to test ideas before creating a full-sized piece.
Connolly created maquettes of her garments to experiment with the drape, shape, and overall design. She saw them as a way to visualise and refine her designs before committing to the full-scale production, ensuring that every detail was perfected. Connolly often presented these maquettes to prospective clients to help ensure that expectations were met and indeed exceeded
Sybil Connolly Maquettes
The Sybil Connolly collection at the Hunt includes three maquettes – ‘First Love’, ‘Blue Hyacinth’ and ‘Black Evening Gown’. The maquettes were meticulously crafted using the same fabrics and techniques that were then used for the final garment.
The ‘First Love’ maquette is of a pleated linen dress first unveiled in March 1953 at the Waldorf Astoria where is showed alongside Europe’s top designers of the time, including Dior, Balenciaga and Visconti. Time magazine described it as “the dress that brought the house down” at the fashion show in the grand ballroom.
Connolly’s use of maquettes allowed her to push the boundaries of traditional Irish textiles, such as fine handwoven linens and tweeds, and incorporate them into modern and elegant fashion pieces. Her work often featured elements like pleats, ruffles, and elaborate embroideries; these were meticulously tested and refined through the use of maquettes. Her innovative approach to fashion, blending traditional Irish craftsmanship with contemporary design techniques, continues to inspire designers and fashion enthusiasts to this day.
3D print of Sybil Connolly's First Love Maquette
Sybil Connolly featured in Seeing without Sight exhibition
A 3D printed version of Sybil Connolly’s ‘First Love’ features in the National Heritage Week award-winning exhibition Seeing without Sight.