The Devonshire House ball was the highlight of the London season of 1897, which focused on celebrations for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. The ball was remarkably well publicised and documented as many of the royal and aristocratic guests were photographed in their lavish costumes for a privately published album. The event has come to represent the pinnacle of the extravagant aristocratic pastime of fancy dress balls and it exhibited the extraordinary confidence of the aristocracy and the British Empire at the time, providing a contrast with decline and social changes of the 20th century, symbolised by the demolition of Devonshire House in 1924.
The costumes required for fashionable fancy dress balls in the 19th century were a significant source of business for women’s couturiers and dressmakers. They rarely survive in good condition, as they were naturally re-used and adapted. Many women who went to the ball, like Lady Stanley, bought costumes made for them by the famous couture house of Worth. This style, a hunting costume, was also worn by Lady Alexandra Acheson. Lady Stanley's surviving costume is labelled and numbered, and bears many of the Worth trademark construction techniques, but is unfinished in parts that are not visible, as befitted a quickly made garment.
The costumes have remained in the same family since they were made. Lady Stanley married the Hon. Francis Gathorne-Hardy in 1898. He had a long and highly decorated military career, serving in the Boer War and the First World War. When he left the army his full title was General Sir John Francis Gathorne-Hardy GCB, GCVO, CMG, DSO. Lady Isobel Stanley was the daughter of the Earl of Derby, Lord Stanley of Preston, who was Governor-General of Canada. She was one of the first female ice hockey players and helped to establish Canada’s Stanley Cup.Fancy dress costume, an 18th century style gown and petticoat 'hunting dress' by Worth, worn by Lady Isobel Stanley for the Devonshire House ball in 1897Costume consisting of open robe or gown of pink velvet with vertical roller-pressed stripe, trimmed with silver metal lace and tassels. The lace may be re-used from an eighteenth century object. The robe opens at the centre front, is tightly fitted to the waist, and has an open skirt. It has three-quarter length sleeves with deep cuffs, with lower sleeves of finely pleated chiffon and machine-made lace, fastening wtih a covered button and loop. A jabot made of a grey silk satin ribbon, with lace and chiffon, is attached to the bodice. The right shoulder is decorated with a grey satin ribbon and silver lace rosette. The bodice is lined with pink silk, with ten whalebone insertions and a waist tape. It fastens with thirteen hooks and eyes. A piece of scrim has been attached to add body below the waistline. There are dress protectors beneath the arms.
The separate skirt is made of cream silk satin and trimmed at the hem with rows of silver metal lace.