British Designer Led Secret WWII Missions That Killed Dozens of Nazis

Hardy Amies was Queen Elizabeth II's lifelong couturier, but his past rivaled any wartime thriller. Before dressing royalty and reinventing British fashion, Amies was a top-tier spy and commander in the Special Operations Executive (SOE), Winston Churchill's covert agency designed to “set Europe ablaze” from within.

Amies, a sophisticated, openly gay London fashion designer who had appeared in Vogue by his mid-20s, was an unexpected war hero. But his French and German fluency, intelligence, and confidence made him the perfect recruit for Britain's shadow fight against Nazi Germany. Despite homosexuality being illegal in Britain at the time, SOE leadership overlooked Amies' sexuality, valuing his intellect and bravery.

The SOE, known as the “Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare,” destabilized Nazi operations through sabotage, espionage, and guerilla warfare. Amies climbed fast in the ranks to oversee “T Section” operations in occupied Belgium. His battalion carried out several resistance activities, including Operation Ratweek, which killed scores of Nazi officials and collaborators.

Despite wartime espionage, Amies was encouraged to design. The British government used this to promote national resilience. He co-founded the Incorporated Society of London Fashion Designers and designed attractive, practical wartime clothes that preserved Britain's culture. Amies even planned a Vogue photo shoot with Belgian Resistance fighters, angering his SOE superiors.

Amies became a leading 20th-century designer after returning to fashion full-time after the war. He began his couture firm in 1946 and designed Olympic costumes, 2001: A Space Odyssey dress, and more. Despite reports and evidence of his involvement in murderous wartime operations, Amies famously told BBC documentarians, “Sorry, old chap, I can’t remember a thing.”

Hardy Amies died in 2003 at 93, noted for his tailored suits and tailored resistance to tyranny.

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