Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums cares for a large collection of more than 300 items of clothing and accessories worn by Frances Farquharson, a flamboyant American fashion editor and Highland socialite.
Born Frances Lovell Oldham in Seattle in 1903, at the age of 17 she left the United States for Europe to pursue a career as a fashion journalist. She became the fashion editor at Vogue and then editor at Harper’s Bazaar during the 1930s.
Frances was known for her eclectic and original outfits. Her wardrobe was extensive, filled with garments by illustrious names such as Elsa Schaiparelli, Raemonde Rahvis, Edward Molyneaux and Hermès, to name but a few.
She became Mrs Frances Farquharson in 1949 when she married Captain Alwyne Compton Farquharson, 16th Laird of Invercauld.
It was then that she moved to Royal Deeside and let her newly-found national identity dictate her style choices. Frances embraced and reinterpreted traditional dress, commissioning fabulous outfits in tartan, tweed and mohair from local mills and tailors. She had close links with the woollen industry and promoted local materials.
She would often dress head-to-toe in Farquharson tartan, particularly for events such as the Braemar Gathering.
Her diverse tastes in fashion give us a glimpse of her larger-than-life personality. We have examples of bold, designer pieces, alongside bright mohair suits which illustrate her vivacious and quirky side. The tartan and tweed ensembles show the affection and respect she had for her adopted home country.
The Farquharson tartan outfit is styled in a similar manner to a traditional kilt. The peaked turned-back cuffs and scallop-edge pockets on the jacket are decorated with horn buttons. The ensemble, along with the tweed stalking costume were worn by Frances in the 1950s.
The black and white abstract pattern ball gown was worn by Frances in the 1960s. The tiny plastic filaments make the dress shimmer. The shortened length at the front of the dress would have been perfect for showing off designer footwear.
When she died in 1991, Frances was buried in Crathie Old Kirkyard, with one of her bonnets placed on her coffin.
This article originally appeared on the Evening Express website. For more information, read about our new combined website.