This stole and the ‘Related items’ are made from fabric printed with the design ‘Hera and Honesty’, also known as ‘Peacock and Honesty’, which was registered by the company of Liberty & Co. in 1926. It was named after Hera, the Greek goddess of women and marriage, with whom the peacock was associated. The peacock feather motif, a favourite of the Aesthetic Movement, had already featured in the Liberty’s textile designs from the late 1880s.

The design can be seen here, not only in three different colourways, but on three different types of fabric, giving each garment a very distinct character.

The triangular shawl is of fine chiffon, with a subordinate pattern woven in dull gold and silver metallic threads which bears very little relationship to the printed design. It does, however, give it an extra dimension and attracts the light making it ideal for evening wear.

In contrast, the design appears hazy and indistinct on this silky, open weave fabric of the stole.

The dress is made from crepe de chine, now slightly faded in places. Full-length dresses such as this, printed with flowers and foliage, were often worn at formal afternoon events during the summer, and were known as Ascot or Garden Party dresses.