Elspeth Phelps and Reggie de Veulle, 1917
The fashion designer, Elspeth Phelps, one of London's leading couturiers during the First World War period (she later merged with Paquin) with an inset picture of her designer, Reggie de Veulle, notorious for his involvement with the death of the young actress Billie Carleton after the Victory Ball at the Albert Hall in November 1918. De Veulle had befriended the actress and designed costumes for her, but had also supplied her with drugs. He was cleared of manslaughter but later convicted of conspiracy to procure cocaine and served eight months in prison.
The portraits were featured in The Bystander at the time they were designing gowns to be presented by Miss Phelps to the Mannequin Parade in the Pageant of Fair Women to be held at the Albert Hall Bazaar on May 7, 8 and 9 1917
