Following several changes of address and an aspirational marriage to Sir Cosmo Duff Gordon, Maison Lucile settled at 23 Hanover Square.

Lucile was an innovator and was particularly good at marketing. She sold matching lingerie; dressed actresses and musical comedy stars on and off-stage; opened a branch in New York; and briefly designed a mail order fashion line for Sears, Roebuck & Co.

The designer was also one of the first to promote dresses with fashion shows, which not only attracted female clients but also gentlemen who came to stare at the beautiful models.

After 1920, Lucile retired from her business but continued to broadcast and write about fashion. She published her autobiography, aptly named Discretions and Indiscretions, not long before her death on 20 April 1975 (78 years ago this week). Despite her contribution to the fashion world, Lucile became best known for having survived the sinking of the Titanic in 1912.

A guest post by Beatrice Behlen from the Museum of London as part of our Visiting the Past series. More fascinating London history next week

Disney fans are in for a festive treat at Harrods, where Disney Princesses are the stars of its magical Christmas window display.

The Knightsbridge department store has asked internationally renowned designers such as Valentino and Versace to create new gowns for some of Disney’s best loved characters, and the results are fantastic in every sense of the word. In each of the store’s main windows you’ll see spellbinding scenes that feature princesses such as Cinderella dressed by Versace, Snow White by Oscar de la Renta and Mulan by Missoni. Modern yet true to the Disney films, these captivating dresses really bring the characters to life, and it’s easy to lose track of time as you stand in front of the magical display. The gowns will be on view throughout the festive season, after which they will be auctioned for charity.

Those inspired by these sparkling windows can then head up to Harrods‘ first floor, which is home to equally beautiful gowns by the world’s leading designers. Budding princesses will also love the Disney pop-up shop on the fourth floor, as it contains everything children need to recreate their favourite films. There’s even a treat for mums at the Cinderella Slipper salon, which carries a sparkling selection of shoes in both child and adult sizes.

Last Friday, London was treated to a tantalising glimpse of the exotic at the third annual Malaysia Night in Trafalgar Square. The event, which attracted thousands of people despite the rain, demonstrated the huge variety of Malaysia’s culture and provided a spectacular start to London’s 2012 Malaysia Week.

The event was officially opened by a group of Malaysian luminaries, including Dr Wong Lai Sum, Dr Syed Kamal and renowned shoe designer Jimmy Choo. Speaking at the event, member of the London Assembly James Cleverly pointed out that ‘Malaysia has a huge affinity with London’, explaining that the city’s diversity is an important factor in the close links between the two locations.

After the dignitaries cut the huge ribbon on stage, London was treated to spectacular entertainment that included colourfully-attired dancers, a spellbinding fashion show and haunting melodies from musicians using traditional Malaysian instruments. Around the square, stalls representing London’s best Malaysian restaurants sizzled with freshly cooked delights that ranged from traditional curries to sumptuously plump Malaysian pancakes.

Fortunately for those now hooked on Malaysia’s many delights, the South Bank is hosting Malaysia Week from now until 10 October. Here you’ll  find cultural exhibitions, traditional board games and, of course, the country’s delicious cuisine. As those who attended Malaysia Night will attest, the wealth of what’s on offer will even make you forget it’s raining!

This photo of Trafalgar Square in 1957 makes us want to rush to London’s vintage fashion shops and fill our wardrobes with pretty dresses!

Krogen shared this great photo with the Visit London Flickr group. If you have some facinating vintage photos of London, we would love to see them!

Why did you leave Ecuador for London?

I love London, it is a city that always hypnotised me. I came to live in London more than one year ago because I feel it is one of those perfect places to experience a new life and is ideal for me to develop my profession – there are many opportunities.  I always search for a historical aspect to the places where I walk, and find a lot of inspiration.

Is there an Ecuadorian community in London?

Yes, there is a very large Ecuadorian community in London. I am more connected to communities based in South East London, where I live. I am involved with a group known as Nueva Generacion, which is a workshop for Latin American people who raise awareness of social issues, stimulating change and promoting our culture.

Do you know of any Ecuadorian places to visit in London?

Around Elephant and Castle there are some very good restaurants and shops specialising in Ecuadorian food. On the weekend at La Tienda Latina in the shopping centre you can taste typical food. And there are some very good live bands on the weekend at Costa Azul restaurant and Parrilladas del Sur on Old Kent Road.

How would you describe your designs? Are influenced by Ecuador?

My designs are a reflection of my vision of the Andean world view. In Ecuador we have many ethnic groups which provide a colourful magic and allegory in their traditional costumes and handicrafts.

I like that people are not dressed for reasons of fashion or trend – clothing is something that identifies each individual. So I don’t repeat my designs, they are each unique.

How can people buy your clothes?

I sell my work online and to individual customers. My work includes designing and making tailored suits, cocktail dresses, wedding dresses, luxury dresses – all to suit an individual style and made with the highest quality.  

What do you hope to do next?

I’m currently working on the release of my autumn/winter collection for stores that sell work of independent fashion designers in London. I’m also working on a project called Almas del Cuarto Oscuro (Souls of the Darkroom) with Fotosynthesis,  which is a community project founded by a group of photographers.

Where else can you find Ecuadorian culture in London? Tell us in the comments below.

Here’s a great video from Westfield’s YouTube channel to celebrate the arrival of Westfield Stratford City later this month.

There are so many fantastic things about this vid. I love the music, the dance, and of course, seeing all the brilliant, iconic East End fashions through the ages.

During the swinging 60s, the understated traditional suits of Savile Row were considered boring and the fashionable flocked to menswear boutiques on Carnaby Street for brightly coloured suits and shirts. When Nutters of Savile Row opened in 1969, the two worlds collided. Rock stars, artists and the stylish embraced Nutter’s bespoke suits because they were fashionable as well as beautifully crafted.

The exhibition includes suits, jackets, sketches and a couple of pieces of knitwear. Some of the suits are very much of their time, made from velvet or satin, with flares and flouncy trim. They are the sort of outfits worn by celebs on those old episodes of Morecombe and Wise. But the Fashion & Textile Museum understands the zeitgeist and these suits feel unexpectedly fresh and exciting.

As well as fans of fashion, tailoring and style, this exhibition is also perfect for music fans as suits have been loaned by stars like Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts, Cilla Black and Elton John. Nutter made astonishing jumpsuits for Elton’s 80s tours, as well as a coral flared jumpsuit for Neil Sedaka which is amusingly 70s. It says a lot about Nutter’s star-attracting style that one of The Beatles turned up at the exhibition’s private view last night. (Ringo! Very exciting.)

Admission also includes entry to a small photography exhibition of work by Justin De Villeneuve featuring Twiggy at the legendary London department store Biba.

Tommy Nutter is on at the Fashion and Textile Museum from 20 May to 22 October 2011. Adult £8, concessions £5. www.ftmlondon.org

Fancy a peek inside the royal palaces? With the royal wedding approaching, we’re giving away two tickets to Prince William’s former home, Kensington Palace.

The historic building has been transformed into an Enchanted Palace, with displays by top fashion designers Vivienne Westwood, Bruce Oldfield, Paul Costelloe and Zandra Rhodes.

After you’ve explored the exhibition and wandered around the royal rooms, you’ll enjoy champagne afternoon tea in the palace’s Orangery restaurant. The perfect end to a royal day out!

Enter for a chance to win Kensington Palace tickets and champagne afternoon tea

You’ll see work by well-known names such as Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto and Comme des Garçons, as well as some of Japan’s most adventurous up-and-coming designers. I went along this morning for a sneak preview.

The outfits on show range from minimalist black-and-white smocks, to intricate origami dresses, and stunning clothes made from bright red, seamless tubing.

While some of the creations are totally wearable, others could only be worn by the likes of Lady Gaga. Eating, sitting down or going to the loo in some of the more elaborate clothes would be out of the question.

One outfit had a built-in parasol, one had a face-covering black mask, one featured a huge cushioned bustle, and one consisted of head-to-toe tartan (including a stuffed tartan elephant in place of the sporran).

I’m not sure how much of this will end up on the high street, but the designers’ creativity and skill is impressive and the show is definitely worth a visit.

Future Beauty: 30 Years of Japanese Fashion is at Barbican Art Gallery from 15 October to 6 February www.barbican.org.uk

The Foundling Museum has embraced heartache and hope in their latest exhibition, Threads of Feeling. The show displays some of the tiny tokens that mothers left with their babies when they gave them up to London’s Foundling Hospital in the 1700s.

The hospital was founded by Thomas Coram who wanted to give abandoned children a decent life. Children were accepted anonymously so women were not publicly shamed into abandoning their babies elsewhere, but mothers were encouraged to leave a small token which was then added to the admission books with the details of the child.

The tokens on display include ribbons, fabric scraps and baby clothes. The scraps range from plain rough worsted to the occasional piece of fancy silk brocade, indicating the mothers came from all levels of society. It’s a fascinating glimpse into the fashions of the period.

Although there are about 5000 textile tokens in the archives, there is only room to display a small number of them in this exhibition and it really left me wanting to see more.

One of the most touching pieces is a crudely embroidered felt heart which indicates how reluctant the mother was to give up her child. The exhibition and the museum are both incredibly moving. I felt quite emotional on the train home, and will be reflecting on my visit for a long time.

When you’ve seen Threads of Feeling, head upstairs and explore the main collection to find out what life was like in the hospital, and what happened to the children after they left. You’ll also find out about the work of the Coram charity who still support and bring hope to disadvantaged children today.

To link the theme of threads throughout the building, VV Rouleaux‘s Annabel Lewis has created a waterfall of ribbons and bows which cascades down through the stairwell of the grand staircase and looks absolutely stunning.

Threads of Feeling at the Foundling Museum 14 October – 6 March. Adults £7.50, concessions £5, under 16s free. www.foundlingmuseum.org.uk