Designer Gallery

Invention of the Cube Car

Invention of the Cube Car. This box-like car, designed by French-Vietnamese designer and engineer Quasar Kahn, was produced in limited numbers between 1967 and 1968 by Universal Power Drives of Perivale, Middlesex, who also made the Unipower sports car. The car had a unique cube-like appearance, with sliding glass doors. It is probably unique amongst car designs in being wider than it is long. The seats were plastic and inflatable. The engine was a four cylinder 1100 cc BMC model with automatic transmission. Modified Mini subframes carried the suspension components and 10-inch Mini wheels were used. Date: 1967

© Mary Evans Picture Library/DAVID LEWIS HODGSON

Lady Duff-Gordons beautiful mannequins

Lucy Christiana, Lady Duff Gordon, a leading fashion designer better known by her professional name, Lucile'. She was the proprietor of Lucile's, Hanover Square, famous for the emotional gown. Sister of the writer, Elinor Glyn and wife of Sir Cosmo Duff Gordon. Caption reads Lady Duff-Gordon, who is Lucile, the famous costumier, is at present in New York, supervising the opening of her new establishment there. With her, as the lawyers have it, are some of her most beautiful mannequins, all English girls, whose advent has caused much interest amongst the smart set

© Mary Evans Picture Library 2015 - https://copyrighthub.org/s0/hub1/creation/maryevans/MaryEvansPictureID/10284958

Gaby Deslys and her gowns by Drian 1913

Gaby Deslys (1881-1920), French actress, dancer and singer, pictured in a variety of lavish outfits designed by Drian and realised by Landolff for her latest revue at the Palace Theatre, London, A la Carte in Two Cafes and a Street. The pictures appeared in the same issue of The Tatler as a portrait of Princess Augusta (Augustine) Victoria of Hohenzollern, the bride-to-be of ex-King Manuel of Portugal. Gaby had been romantically linked with the King in the past. Date: 1913

© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans