1975 - Janet Reger

Shortly after ‘A Veil of Elegance’, an unlikely collaboration was born, between Peter Miller and Janet Reger, the fast-rising designer of luxurious lingerie. Or rather, at first glance it may appear to have been unlikely – a northern painter whose previous subject matter had included turbulent times such as the Irish Rebellion and the horror of witches burned at the stake, and a London born woman designing delicate undergarments.

However, Janet was seen as a revolutionary in the lingerie business and perhaps she saw a little of that in Peter also, on seeing his paintings of rebellions and revolutionaries.  More likely she was struck by the beauty and elegance perfectly captured in his latest exhibition and how he had depicted the dream-like quality of the women in ‘A Veil of Elegance’. What better way to display her elegant designs than in a painting by this artist who could convey such beauty through the medium of paint?

The collaboration resulted in 4 paintings by Peter, which were displayed in the windows of her store(s) alongside her products. This ‘disruptor’ of the lingerie business had found a novel way to advertise her designs – they were no longer merely women’s undergarments, but a piece of clothing to be admired and worthy of being immortalised in elegant paintings.