The Cat Suit

Diamonds Are Forever is just one of the fascinating objects being spruced up at the V&A museum in a new TV series.
A new series on BBC2 takes you behind the scenes of Victoria & Albert Museum.
Secrets Of The Museum tells the stories behind some of the priceless objects.
It includes pieces such as Dame Shirley’s favourite ostrich feather catsuit.

Home to more than 2.3 million objects spanning 5,000 years of human ingenuity, the Victoria & Albert Museum’s collection covers fashion and photography, sculpture and ceramics, architecture, theater and performance. (Mail online)

Last year, due to the pandemic, it closed for the first time since a brief shutdown in the Second World War, but the break gave its conservators, curators and technicians the chance to restore some of the artifacts.

Now a new series of Secrets Of The Museum takes you behind the scenes, and tells the stories behind the priceless objects…
She wore the outfit on the record cover for the Bond theme tune Diamonds Are Forever and it originally had bell bottoms decorated with turquoise feathers, but was later adapted with straighter legs (pictured)

Dame Shirley Bassey’s favourite outfit from a career that began in 1953 and shows no signs of stopping is this shimmering nude-coloured silk chiffon and net catsuit.

Heavily embroidered with glass beads and sequins, it was snapped up by the V&A at a charity auction. ‘We were lucky,’ says senior curator Simon Sladen.

Now aged 84, the Tiger Bay singer has worn the catsuit many times. It was designed in 1969-70 by Douglas Darnell, who said of Dame Shirley, ‘I know her figure inside out, and which are the best bits to show.’

The catsuit originally had bell bottoms decorated with turquoise ostrich feathers, but was later adapted with straighter legs. As she twisted and moved on stage though, the fabric suffered splits.

Once repaired, the catsuit is displayed on a mannequin with a matching full-length cape, embellished with aquamarine sequins and the ostrich feathers.

Shirley was pictured wearing the outfit on the record cover for the Bond theme tune Diamonds Are Forever, and under the light Simon spots that the sequins are in a diamond pattern.

‘Another link to Diamonds Are Forever,’ he says. ‘I hope we’ve done her justice.’

Dame Shirley Bassey attends the Red Cross Summer concert in Monaco

Dame Shirley Bassey, 84, looks effortlessly chic in a black trouser suit and white embellished top as she attends the Red Cross Summer concert in Monaco (By NIOMI HARRIS FOR MAILONLINE)

She’s carved out a glittering music career spanning almost 70 years, releasing huge hits including Goldfinger and Diamonds are Forever.
And Dame Shirley Bassey continued to dazzle as she put on an effortlessly chic display while attending the Red Cross Summer concert in Monte Carlo, Monaco on Friday. The legendary singer, 84, looked smart in a sleek black trouser suit and an embellished white top as she posed on the red carpet at the event.
Shirley appeared in great spirits as she flashed a dazzling smile while posing in her black blazer and wide-leg trousers.
The Welsh beauty teamed her look with sparkly black heels anThe star was in great company at the annual charity event as it was also attended by Prince Albert II of Monaco and Princess Caroline of Hanover. d a matching handbag, while she added a further touch of bling with a diamond necklace and stud earrings.

Biographies

Dame Shirley Bassey sometimes gets a mention in biographies of other stars. Today the pages that mentioned her in the biographies of Alma Cogan, Helen Shapiro and Scott Walker. (Special thanks to Susan)

ALMA COGAN

HELEN SHAPIRO

SCOTT WALKER

Dame Shirley Bassey performing at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee?…………

Next year in 2022 Queen Elizabeth will be on the throne for 70 years and in June she will celebrate her Platinum Jubilee. Of course we all wonder if Dame Shirley Bassey will perform like she did at the Diamond Jubilee in 2012 and the Golden Jubilee in 2002 and what song(s) she will sing? For the Golden Jubilee she sang Goldfinger and for the Diamond Jubilee Diamonds Are For Ever. So will it be a Bond song, a Classic or a Ballad or a song from her last album or maybe even a song she never recorded but only sang live like for instance Summertime? That is why we have a poll here at the blog where you can add the song that you think is the most suitable for the Jubilee performance. So please leave your thoughts in the comments.