Short Sleeved shirt in Liberty London’s art nouveau Tulip print ‘Ten Six’ back yoke
I was a little sad to see the tulips pass from my garden a couple of weeks ago. They are so exotic, with their vibrant, polished petals and encompassing shape. No wonder that, when they were first introduced to Europe from the Islamic world in the sixteenth century, they were considered precious objects of status. In the 1630s their value boomed so high that a phenomenon known as ‘tulipmania’ happened, with frenzied trading making many Dutch merchants enormously rich; when the ‘Tulip Bubble’ burst, they lost everything.
But anyway, never mind the history lesson. Here’s a shirt. It is made from an art nouveau style Liberty print representing tulips. It comes from last year’s Spring/Summer range, but it’s based on a furnishing design from the 1890s. So elegant.
Short Sleeved shirt in Liberty London’s art nouveau Tulip print ‘Ten Six’
It’s always difficult to decide what to do with a favourite print in a favourite colourway. Some red piping might have been nice, but I really wanted to see those tulips bending in the breeze, so I have gone with my first instinct – to cut the yokes on the bias.
Short Sleeved shirt in Liberty London’s art nouveau Tulip print ‘Ten Six’
The shirt has short sleeves, which I have faced with plain pale blue fabric to match the leaves in the print. The pocket flaps are faced in the same fabric, but that will be the wearer’s secret till he lifts them to put something in his pocket. The topstitching is in the same pale blue colour. The pearl snaps are grey.
Short Sleeved shirt in Liberty London’s art nouveau Tulip print ‘Ten Six’
It has turned out so sharp and snappy, I just had to photograph it with that top pearl snap done up!
Dandy & Rose 