The Media Archive for Central England is the public screen archive for the East and West Midlands. An independent charity and company based at the University of Lincoln, MACE acquires, catalogues, preserves and makes widely available moving image materials that inform our understanding of the diverse cultures and histories of communities between the Lincolnshire coast and the Welsh border.
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Liberty Foundations Commercial
Liberté, égalité and fraternité in corsets, girdles and bras.
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Overview
In 1956 the Market Harborough firm of R. & W.H. Symington was celebrating a centenary of manufacturing textiles. Best known under the brand name of Liberty Foundations, this early television commercial plays with 'Liberty' and 'Liberté' by bringing in French actress Yvonne Arnaud to explain the 'art of choosing the right type of foundation garment'. A wonderful feeling of freedom sounds an unlikely boast though whilst tied into a tight corset.
Yvonne Arnaud (1892-1958) was born in Paris but had worked in Britain since before the First World War. She lived in Guildford for many years and there is a theatre in the town named in her honour.
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