Iconic designer raises funds for SSAFA for more than 80 years

06 January 2023

Years after his death, Sir Norman Hartnell continues to raise funds for his favourite charity: SSAFA! And a recent exhibition of his dresses and memorabilia in Plymouth raised more than £1,400 for the charity. 

Who was Sir Norman? Norman Hartnell started off designing clothes after discovering a love for it whilst designing the costumes for the famous Cambridge Footlights Theatre. He moved swiftly up the haute couture ladder, dressing all the well-heeled London ladies of fashion, including the late Queen. In 1977 Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, made Hartnell the first fashion designer ever to be named a Knight of the Royal Victorian Order. More recently, we saw Princess Beatrice marry in one of the late Queen’s evening dresses, which was designed by Hartnell.

He was an icon of his age, dressing the Queen Mother, the Queen, Vivien Leigh and Marlene Dietrich. He is one of the most famous British designers of all time and was the style icon of his era. During WW2 Hartnell chaired the committee of The Anglo Latin-American Exhibition which showed sculptured figurines wearing Latin-American costumes. The exhibition toured England and Scotland and raised more than £10,000 for SSAFA, which is nearly £2 million pounds in today’s money.

Hartnell’s goddaughter, Mrs Claire Williams, Branch Secretary of SSAFA Devon, allowed her collection of gowns, sketches and figurines to be exhibited recently to continue the Hartnell tradition of fundraising. Of particular note in this exhibition was a book of original press cuttings from the 1943 to 1944 tours and a Visitors’ Book signed by Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary, and Claire’s own wedding dress, designed by her godfather.

Claire said of Hartnell, her Godfather: “He was a kind man with a great sense of humour. He always remembered my birthday and there, delivered to my door, would be a new gown, designed and made just for me. It was a young girl’s dream.”