She was nominated for an Academy Award in the category Best Costume Design for the film The Pickwick Papers (1952).

She started her career designing for stage, with her first professional job being The Duchess of Malfi at the Haymarket Theatre in 1945.

[1] Dawson gained prominence for her work in the film industry, beginning with the noir thriller Night Beat (1947), and she had more than 69 major credits.

[2] In 1963, Dawson collaborated with fashion designer Christian Dior on two British films, Woman of Straw and Contest Girl (released as The Beauty Jungle in the UK).

She created costumes for Guns in the Heather (1969), part of Walt Disney's Wonderful World of Color anthology, as well as a few episodes of the television serial Sir Francis Drake.