As a long time collector of novelty prints I am always fascinated to find examples of pieces I own in old trade magazines. This post doesn’t actually feature any I own, but does clear up the label found in one of my skirts. Last year I did a swap with one of my dear friends Holly for this wonderful ‘magazine’ print skirt.

 

The skirt however contained a label I had never come across before, “Shani”- the design of the label having a very graphic quality to it, almost 80s in its appearance.

 

At the time, I admitted that I had never seen another skirt with the Shani label. I thought nothing more of it until I was running through 1950s copies of Women’s Wear News as part of my PhD research and came across a number of ads for the brand.

 

Ad no.1) February 8^th 1958

 

From our collection of Sailcloth Skirts in various processing and Colours. Among the novelties which can now be seen at out showroom. Samples always available, can be sent on request.

 

Rossmore Fashions Ltd. 59/79 Gt. Portland Street W1

Ad no. 2) March 8^th 1958

 

The second ad opens with the tag-line ‘Introducing a selection from our second range of Summer skirts’

 

These skirts, which are among those which will be shown at the Women’s Wear News Parade of Separates at the Park Lane Hotel, on March 13^th, are only a few from our latest range, which comes in a galaxy of colours and designs at prices from 19/9.

Ad no. 3) (I cropped this too far, so I am not 100% sure of the date but I think it was April 1958)

 

From our Second range of Summer skirts. We illustrate here tow numbers in printed non-iron cottons. Two of the many novelties which can be seen at our Showrooms. Samples are always available and can be sent on request

 

So what does this show? Well, I would suggest that the “Shani” skirt range was first produced in 1957 (the height of novelty skirt mania in Britain) and that the firm specialized in novelty print skirts.

 

Do you own any Shani skirts? Do they have excellent novelty prints too?