The Internet can once in a while be a lovely place filled with vintage advertising of fashions gone by that are still gorgeous and fantastic, LIKE what I stumbled upon at the Archives.org website.
This delightful September 20th, 1941 fashion ad for ‘Spectator Sportswear by Lucas‘. Such dreamy dresses!
Source: Archive.org
After I saw this ad, I started doing some research on “The House of Lucas” and stumbled upon while not a lot of content, still enough that I know I had to share it with my readers. So that is what today’s post is all about!
‘THE HOUSE OF LUCAS’
An Australian Vintage Fashion Label
The House of Lucas-E Lucas and Co. The family-owned firm operated in Ballarat (Victoria, Australia) from 1888 to 1968, employing hundreds and putting Ballarat on the map as a producer of fashion.
ABOUT (Excerpt-Weekly Times Now Australia):
The fashion house was created by founder Eleanor Lucas who was widowed in 1878 and began sewing underwear and shirts from home to support her family. When Eleanor was widowed again in 1888, she launched her own sewing firm.
Successful from the outset, by 1908 it employed more than 200 people and at its peak in the 1950s employed 500. It specialised in women’s clothing but also made clothes for children and men.
“Lucas always had an eye on fashion trends and so they would send their executives overseas to bring back those trends to Australia and by the 1930s Lucas had a good reputation for quality garments,” Snjez says. “This meant they forged exclusive deals with the likes of Pierre Cardin and Vanity Fair.”
The Lucas factory has been linked with Ballarat commercial life for 55 years (Source).
In 1968 the company was taken over (Source).
In 1972 Lucas provided financial assistance for expansion, the company becoming a subsidiary of Courtaulds-Hilton (Source).
Innovations
- 1903 Lucas installed the first electric motor in Ballarat.
- 1908 Tilly Thompson became Australia’s first female commercial travellor.
- 1930 Lucas set up Australia’s first warp knitting, dyeing and finishing plant.
- 1934 Lucas produced Australia’s first screen printed tricot dresses.
- 1949 Lucas produces Australia’s first nylon Tricot fabric.
- 1952 Lucas produced Australia’s first nylon permanent pleating.
- 1962 Lucas produced Australia’s first colour coordinated lingerie and foundation garments (Source).
(Continue Reading about their history HERE).
Source: Pinterest
The Fashion Vintage Ads
(stay till the end for some examples of real life outfits)
Here is a collection of the clothing lines that LUCAS was selling at the time of the posting of this 1948 ad:
- Children’s Line-Betty Lou
- Spectator Sportswear
- Lucas Lingerie
- Jill Heriote
- Young Times
That green dress!!! Yooza!
Source: Pinterest
“Girls with a job to do!” – 1942 fashion ad.
“Not every woman who works for victory serves in unifrom. You women who have avalanced from everywhere to take up voluntary service and defence work need frocks that are neat, comfortable and cheerful; easy to wash, and long to last….Spectator Sportswear has all the answers!”
The company was doing their part for the war effort as stated in their ads: “Please understand. If stock of Spectator Sportswear at your favourite store aren’t as big as usual, it’s because we’re making ever increasing quantities of equipement for the fighting forces. Though supplies are restricted, the quality you know so well remains unchanged.”
Source: Archive.org
“A Three Star Feature” -1942 fashion ad.
“….like the Flying Fortress combining quality of material, perfection of design and superlative craftsmanship with fine attention to detail…is headed for a direct hit with you women of Australia performing all those urgent, unheroic, behind-the-scene tasks so essential to victory”
Source: Archive.org
Time to put away the track pants when walking the dogs and breakout the skirt suit (in this case cute Dalmatians)! 1945 fashion ad.
Further Reading: The Skirt Suit: A Fall Fashion Trend. The 1940s Edition
Source: Pinterest
“Dress for the man in your life” -1947 fashion ad.
“In your Spectator Frock or Suit you’re sure to please any masculine eye. Spectator Sportswear is still very sparce, but limited supplies are proudly sold by better shops everywhere”
Source: Pinterest
1947 fashion ad. “Dress for the man in your life”.
Source: Pinterest
1949 advertisement for Lucas Spectator Ladies Sportswear for their Fall fashion line (I would wear this in a second!).
Source: Archive.org
“For the town or country look”. A classic jacket suit & a versatile tailored dress-1952 fashion ad.
Source: Archive.org
“At last…a permanently pleated skirt that washes!” YES! Perfect for traveling the friendly skies as you can see our lovely 1950s illustrated model enjoying.
Source: Pinterest
Oh my! These outfits are giving off “Look at me” vibes”. 1953 vintage fashion ad.
Source: Archive.org
“For every day on your summer calendar…” 1954 fashion ad.
Source: Pinterest
“Strike a high note in…Lucas Spectator Sportswear and be in harmony with every Winter occasion.” 1955 fashion ad.
Source: Pinterest
I’m a sucker for any ad with cute Scottie Dogs in them! Like our 1958 fashion ad.
Source: Pinterest
1960’s summer fashion line. “Love the Sun”.
Source: Pinterest
1961 Fashion book for the Autumn line.
Source: National Gallery of Victoria
Vintage Fashion: Examples of what the label looked like in real life
1950 evening gown (Jill Heroite Line & designed by Eve Ogilvie), a bronze full length dress in striped moirè and satin acetate, cut on the bias. GORGEOUS!!
Source: National Gallery of Victoria
1952 Summer Day Dress (Jill Heroite Line & designed by Eve Ogilvie).
Source: National Gallery of Victoria
1959 Pierre Cardin Coat produced by the Australian fashion house LUCAS.
Source: National Gallery of Victoria
I hope you enjoyed this post! It was fun learning about a clothing label I had never heard of before.
Question Time! What outfits or ads did you love the most? Have you heard of this company before? Maybe you own one of their dresses. Share any thoughts in the comment section below and thanks for dropping by!
Further Reading:
- Vintage Fashions 1920s-1960s (Archived Blog Posts)
Liz
I love the short sleeved dresses! You can’t find dresses like that anymore.
Agree! The short sleeved are lovely!
This was my families fashion house! I wonder where you got all the information? I studied fashion and hope to one day revive this house of Lucas! x
Really? WOW COOL! That would be an incredible thing to do for your family and for you. As for my info, there was not lots of information out there, but I did cite all my sources in every place on the post (just click the source link to be taken to where i found info). Feel free to correct anything I had in the post.
Thank you for dropping by and commenting and Good Luck with your goal!
Liz
Hi Liz, I live in Alabama USA and was Employed by Vanity Fair until I retired as manager of fabric development. I have in my possession a book “The Golden Thread” it is an almost
complete history of E. Lucas of Ballarat, written by Mollie White, In the book there are many photographs of all of the principals of the company and of the Buildings inside and out in Ballarat. Also many drawings and photographs of their products. On page 53 there is mention of their affiliations with Vanity Fair and Pierre Cardin thus my possession of the book.
Hi Keith! Thank you for reaching out and sharing this fantastic information with me. I am going to look into this book asap. Thank you so much for commenting!
Liz
Last night for the first time I wore to bed a pale pink nightdress with lace and pleated nylon bodice and pleated frill at bottom; it belonged to my mother (1916-2018) who for reasons unknown to me never or rarely wore this Lucas lingerie piece as it’s in very good condition.
This morning I looked for the label (down towards the hem) and discovered the brand name and then read this marvellous article.
OH MY! How wonderful! Like seriously! What a stunning piece to have and I’m so happy that my little post helped shed some light on what a find you have. Enjoy your piece.
Liz