Sir Norman Hartnell (1901 1979) dominated London couture during the inter-war years, gaining international fame as dressmaker to the British royal family, designing Princess Elizabeth's wedding gown in 1947, and her magnificent Coronation dress six years later. Best known for romantic eveningwear shimmering with beads and embroidery, he cemented London's position as an innovative fashion centre. Silver and Gold, first published in 1955, describes an extraordinary life with elegance and panache.