Shirley Ann Russell

Who was Shirley Ann Russell?

Shirley Ann Russell was a British costume designer and first wife of film director Ken Russell, to whom she was married from 1956 to 1978, and with whom she had five children, Xavier, James, Alexander, Victoria and Toby.

Russell was born as Shirley Ann Kingdon in London, England. She and her husband met in art school; they both converted to Roman Catholicism prior to their marriage. The couple collaborated on Women in Love, The Music Lovers, The Devils, The Boy Friend, Savage Messiah, Mahler, Tommy, Lisztomania, and Valentino.

Following her divorce from Ken Russell, she lived for many years with director Jonathan Benson in Chiswick. She ran her own firm of film costumiers for most of her career, particularly specialising in 1930s and 1940s clothing.

Russell's other credits include The Little Prince, Lady Chatterley's Lover, The Return of the Soldier, The Razor's Edge, Hope and Glory, The Bride, Yanks, Gulliver's Travels, I Dreamed of Africa, and Shackleton.

She received Oscar nominations for her work in Agatha and Reds.