Embroidery and Heritage: The Royal School of Needlework

The Royal School of Needlework is based at the magnificent Hampton Court Palace in south west London and also teaches across the UK  and internationally. With over 200 courses, the RSN has something for everyone, teaching a wide range of techniques from stunning Gold and Crewelwork to Blackwork and Silk Shading. In addition, the RSN offers hand embroidery services at its Embroidery Studios in Hampton Court Palace. 

Founded in 1872, the principles of the RSN were two-fold: to revive a beautiful art which had fallen into disuse and, through its revival, provide employment for educated women who would otherwise find themselves compelled to live in poverty. The RSN began operating in a small room above a bonnet shop in Sloane Street, London, initially employing 20 ladies. The school grew and by 1903 the RSN was able to open a new purpose-built centre on Exhibition Road, close to the V&A Museum, employing around 150 workers. The RSN moved to Hampton Court Palace in 1987 and now teaches over 1,500 students each year.

The Royal School of Needlework’s Royal Connections go back to its earliest days in 1872 – and continue to work with Sarah Burton on The Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding dress in 2011.  In 1953 the RSN was privileged to embroider the Coronation Robe of State which featured 18 varieties of gold thread.  The Goldwork embroidery took 3,500 hours to complete between March and June 1953 and was worked by 12 embroiderers in shifts, 7 days a week. Although it was known that the RSN was embroidering the train, the whole operation was carried out in strict secrecy. No staff member who worked on it was allowed to give any hint of what the design looked like. The design was worked on purple silk-velvet and measured 6.5 metres long from the shoulder to the edge of the robe. It was embroidered with emblems such as wheat ears and olive branches representing ‘peace and plenty’ and included the ER cypher. Only senior members of staff were allowed to embroider the ER cypher and crown at the centre of the train. The RSN showrooms (based at that time at Princes Gate, Kensington) were closed to the public and police with guard dogs were posted outside for the duration of the work which lasted three months. On Coronation Day, the embroiderers were given a ticket for the grounds of Buckingham Palace and seated in the Palace forecourt to view the procession. The RSN has embroidered Coronation robes and regalia since 1902, including the Coronation Robes of Edward VII, George V and George VI.

Red Carpet Green Dress is an international dress design contest founded by Suzy Amis Cameron, environmental advocate and wife of Director James Cameron. In 2013, designers across the world were set the challenge of creating an Oscar worthy dress made sustainably which would be worn on the red carpet at the Academy Awards. The winner of the Competition was Ghanaian fashion student, Michael Badger, and the dress was worn at the Oscars by Skyfall’s Naomie Harris.

This unique collaboration between British menswear brand E.Tautz and the RSN launched at London Collections: Men. Inspired by the painting ‘The Rakes Progress’, by William Hogarth, the E.Tautz Autumn / Winter 2014 collection showcased garments embellished with intricate hand embroidery created by the RSN Degree students. 

The RSN hand embellished some 200,000 ostrich feathers onto a stunning gown created by the British couture fashion designer Nicholas Oakwell Couture for the GREAT Britain Campaign. The Nicholas Oakwell Couture gown was commissioned by the UK Government to showcase British Couture design at the GREAT Festival of Creativity in Shanghai in March 2015. The gown was showcased on a world tour in June 2015 covering Paris, Milan, Berlin and the Americas before heading back to the UK.