5mm Matte White Cuvettes & Sequins - Norman Hartnell Archive
5mm Matte White Cuvettes & Sequins - Norman Hartnell Archive
19 in stock
Vintage 5mm sequins in a solid chalk white with a soft matte finish, from the archive of Mollie Welch, tambour embroiderer in Norman Hartnell’s workroom.
A quiet, modern white with no shine or iris, so it reads like porcelain on the fabric. Lovely for bridal work, tone-on-tone embroidery on white organza, and anywhere you want texture rather than sparkle.
Choose your style:
- Cuvettes: faceted cup sequins that catch the light softly at the edges.
- Flat Sequins: classic flat paillettes for smooth, scale-like coverage.
Sold by the thread. Size 5mm, ready to use with the Lunéville hook.
About the Archive
This exquisite collection of mid-20th century dressmakers’ beads and sequins originates from the archive of Mollie (Marjorie Constance) Welch, an accomplished embroiderer who worked for Sir Norman Hartnell from 1937 onwards.
Mollie began her career at the prestigious Hartnell couture house on Bruton Street, London, where she contributed to royal and aristocratic gowns embellished with intricate beadwork and embroidery. Her early diary entries mention work on the Queen’s Coronation gowns, including the iconic feather bodice created for Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother) in 1937, and she later assisted with the Coronation ensembles of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953.
After retiring in 1970, Mollie cherished her collection of materials — sequins, beads, and embroidery samples — intending to open her own atelier to teach tambour embroidery. Although fashions changed and her plans never came to fruition, these beautiful embellishments have remained safely preserved for decades.
The set offered here comes directly from the Mollie Welch archive, a tangible link to one of Britain’s most celebrated couture houses and the golden age of royal embroidery under Norman Hartnell.