A LIVING ARCHIVE
Rescuing the roaring 20s,
one dress at a time
Cara founded 1920s Dresses to give a second life to original 1920s beaded dresses that would otherwise be lost. Many arrive in pieces - too fragile to even handle. Each one is painstakingly restored by hand, with Cara dedicating up to six hours a day, sometimes over six months, to a single dress.
Today, Cara holds the largest collection of restored art deco beaded dresses in the world.
FOR SALE
A century later, still wearable.
A rotating archive of fully restored deco gowns, paste jewellery and beaded headdresses. Two original pieces sold to Geri Halliwell. Each comes with provenance and a private fitting.
FOR HIRE
Worn for an evening, remembered for years.
Genuine 1920s beaded gowns, fully restored and event-ready. Hired for high-end parties, period weddings, and special events.
Rental: £300 per dress
THE RESTORATION
From a pile of beads,
back to a gown.
Most of the dresses Cara rescues are in a state of disrepair - unable even to be picked up without losing beads.
The deco process is one by one, by hand.
A single gown can take half a year.
