former career as a rancher and farmer made him a distinctive character in the London high fashion scene and he cut a rather stern Edwardian figure in the 1950s portrait by Norman Parkinson now held by the National Portrait Gallery. His passion was hunting and he has also been described as "macho". He caused something of a stir, especially in Australia, for advocating a return to Edwardian-style dress for men in the early 1950s. It was advice he took himself, wearing stovepipe trousers, red cummerbund and matching carnation for one of his fashion shows in Melbourne. The opera singer Ruth Vincent defected to Norman Hartnell because of Russell's "uneven temper". Nonetheless, his attention to detail meant his client list was said to include royalty and London's best-dressed women and many stores across the Commonwealth would buy Peter Russell collections unseen. He always dyed fabrics to his own specifications, often supervised the weaving and would create custom-dyed accessories to match. Self-taught, his working style – as profiled in Shopping – was to come up with an idea and then design between ten and 20 sketches to fine tune it. At his twice-yearly fashion shows, he was described as marching up and down the showroom providing a running commentary: "turning the girls this way and that if necessary, and generally explaining down to the last button just what goes to make a Peter Russell model. He practically never stops talking, but his monologue is refreshing, interesting and ceaselessly patterned with that indestructible self-assurance of the super-craftsman." Brand hallmarks Russell believed in functional elegance. He was compared to Edward Molyneux for his ability to design elegant and practical clothes. He avoided grand ballgowns, favouring instead separates and suits as well as afternoon dresses and pieces for what he termed "diners out" (these outfits would be suitable for afternoon and cocktail parties as well as theatre visits). He could be dismissive of fashion trends, saying in 1953: "Dior's short hemline is a stunt – most women want simple, elegant clothes with just a touch of intrigue". IncSoc and wartime activities Russell played a major role in promoting London couturiers. He was among the founder members of the Incorporated Society of London Fashion Designers (IncSoc) in 1942. He supported fashion's role in the war effort, championing utility principles and featuring in morale-boosting promotional photographs issued by the Ministry of Information. Although the couture industry was