Bunny Roger

Bunny Roger
Bunny Roger posing for Hardy Amies
Born Neil Munroe Roger
9 June 1911
London
Died 27 April 1997
London
Nationality British
Known for Couturier
Socialite

Neil Munro "Bunny" Roger (1911–1997) was an English couturier, dandy and war hero. Roger's best known contribution to fashion was his invention of Capri pants in 1949.

Early years

Neil Munro Roger was born 9 June 1911 in London to Sir Alexander Roger and Helen Stuart Clark, both from Scotland. He attended the Loretto School and read History at Balliol College, Oxford, though only for a year; he then studied drawing at The Ruskin. He was expelled from Oxford for alleged homosexual activities.[1]

Career

In 1937, Roger established his dressmakers, Neil Roger, in Great Newport Street, London. One of his clients was Vivien Leigh.[2]

In the Second World War, he was commissioned in the Rifle Brigade in 1941 and served in Italy and North Africa. Roger was a war hero known for his courage under fire. A story that may be apocryphal has him replying to a sergeant's question regarding approaching Germans, "When in doubt, powder heavily."[3]

Following the war, he was invited to run the couture department at Fortnum & Mason. He invested in the House of Amies, and his stake was later acquired by Debenhams in 1973.

He is credited with inventing Capri pants in 1949, while vacationing at Capri in Italy.[1]

Roger was a clotheshorse who bought up to fifteen bespoke suits a year and four pairs of bespoke shoes or boots to go with each suit; each suit was said to have cost around £2,000. He favoured a neo-Edwardian look: four-buttoned jackets with broad shoulders, narrow waists, and long skirts. He favoured narrow trousers and a high-crowned bowler hat. He was particularly fond of spectator shoes and ruby cufflinks.[4]

Roger was known for the lavish and outrageous parties that he held throughout his life. These events were often themed, as in the Diamond, Amethyst, and Flame Balls held to celebrate his 60th, 70th, and 80th birthdays, respectively.[1][5]

Death

Roger died in London on 27 April 1997. He was 85 years old.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Fisher, Clive (29 April 1997). "Obituary: Bunny Roger". The Independent. Archived from the original on 7 April 2011. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
  2. ↑ Windsor, John (28 January 1998), "Family Values: At home with Bunny, Sandy and Alan", The Independent, retrieved 10 February 2010
  3. ↑ Trevelyan, Raleigh (14 May 1997), "Obituary: Bunny Roger", The Independent, retrieved 20 September 2014
  4. ↑ Bunny Roger: British Style Icon You've Probably Never Heard Of, 28 January 2010, retrieved 10 February 2010
  5. ↑ Walsh, John (16 December 1999), "My dear, we always partied like it was 1999", The Independent, retrieved 20 September 2014
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