Tania Mallet

Tania Mallet photographed by Brian Duffy for British Vogue, 1963
Tania Mallet wears Mary Quant and James Wedge on the cover of British Vogue, October 1, 1963. Photo: Brian Duffy. Image: eBay.

Model and Bond girl Tania Mallet (b. 1941) was born in Blackpool to English and Russian-English parents. (Her mother, Olga Mironoff, was Helen Mirren’s paternal aunt.) She began working as a model in the late 1950s after taking a course at the Lucie Clayton Charm Academy. You may recognize her from her role as Tilly Masterson in Goldfinger (1964).

Tania Mallet as Tilly Masterson in Goldfinger (1964)
Tania Mallet as Tilly Masterson in Goldfinger (1964). IMDb image ©Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.

Mallet’s modelling work in the 1960s included editorials for Vogue patterns and Vogue Knitting Book.

Tania Mallet in Vogue Knitting Book no. 60 (Jubilee edition), 1962
Tania Mallet in Vogue Knitting Book no. 60 (Jubilee edition), 1962. Image: Etsy.

The earliest patterns I’ve found featuring Mallet are by French and Italian designers—Jacques Heim and Simonetta:

1960s Jacques Heim suit pattern feat. Tania Mallet, Vogue Paris Original 1258
Vogue 1258 by Jacques Heim (1963) Image: Pinterest.
1960s Simonetta dress and coat pattern feat. Tania Mallet, Vogue Couturier Design 1265
Vogue 1265 by Simonetta (1963) Image: eBay.

Later patterns are by London designers like Ronald Paterson and Jo Mattli:

1960s Ronald Paterson dress pattern feat. Tania Mallet, Vogue Couturier Design 1391
Vogue 1391 by Ronald Paterson (1964) Image: Vintage Pattern Wiki.
1960s Jo Mattli dress and coat pattern feat. Tania Mallet, Vogue Couturier Design 1407
Vogue 1407 by Jo Mattli (1964) Image: Etsy.
1960s Jo Mattli two-piece dress pattern feat. Tania Mallet, Vogue Couturier Design 1661
Vogue 1661 by Jo Mattli (ca. 1967) Image: Etsy.

This daffodil evening ensemble was featured in my Bellville Sassoon post:

1960s Belinda Bellville evening ensemble pattern feat. Tania Mallet, Vogue Couturier Design 1677
Vogue 1677 by Belinda Bellville (ca. 1966) Image: Etsy.

Here Mallet wears a goddess gown by John Cavanagh:

1960s John Cavanagh evening gown pattern feat. Tania Mallet, Vogue Couturier Design 1687
Vogue 1687 by John Cavanagh (ca. 1966) Image: eBay.

In this ad for Sekers Fabrics, she wears Forquet gown Vogue 1693 in striped ‘Hero’ lurex:

Tania Mallet wears Vogue 1693 by Federico Forquet in striped lurex (with Vogue 1758 by Ronald Paterson and Vogue 7158)
Tania Mallet wears Vogue 1693 by Federico Forquet (with Vogue 1758 by Ronald Paterson and Vogue 7158). Sekers Fabrics advertisement, 1967.

Full marks for hats and coiffure, don’t you think?

Tania Mallet photographed by Eugene Vernier for the cover of British Vogue, 1961
Tania Mallet in Pucci on the cover of British Vogue, July 1961. Photo: Eugene Vernier. Image: Vogue UK.
Tania Mallet photographed by Harry Meerson forthe cover of Jardin des Modes, 1962
Tania Mallet in Pierre Cardin on the cover of Jardin des Modes, March 1962. Photo: Harry Meerson. Image: Jardin des Modes Covers.
Tania Mallet photographed by Henry Clarke for the cover of British Vogue, 1962 (Brania earrings)
Tania Mallet on the cover of British Vogue, July 1962. Photo: Henry Clarke. Image: eBay.

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