In 1941, Michael Donnellan was named head of operations at Lachasse – while on wartime service – and became its chief designer after his return. Donnellan – more usually known as Michael or Michael of Carlos place – was an established name and his designs for Lachasse bore the label 'Michael of Lachasse'. Later he would be described as the Balenciaga of London for his focus on simplicity of form and defined tailoring. Such was his stature, and that of Lachasse during this era, that the house was included in a 1953 feature about London's "big 10" designers in a feature in "Life" prior to the coronation of Elizabeth II. This would be one of his last assignments for Lachasse as in 1953 he set up on his own, taking over the couture house of Peter Russell.