Paul Mellon Centre Supported Exhibition Publication Launches at the Harris

Celebrating eighty years since the launch of Horrockses Fashions, Everyday Glamour accompanies the exhibition Horrockses Fashions: Everyday Glamour & the Art of British Ready-to-Wear at the Harris. Decorative Art Curator, custodian of the Horrockses collection and Editor of Everyday Glamour, Scott Sciavone, takes us througllh the research and publication process below, touching on the impact and significance of the book.

Supported by a £6,000 Exhibition Publication Grant from the Paul Mellon Centre (PMC), this project has enabled the Harris to produce Everyday Glamour: Horrockses Fashions from Royalty to Ready-to-Wear, the first major publication dedicated to the museum's nationally significant Horrockses Fashions collection in over fifteen years.

The publication is underpinned by extensive curatorial and archival research into the UK's largest museum collection of Horrockses Fashions material. Research focused on garments, photographs, ephemera, approximately two hundred and forty sample sheets and the unique Horrockses design books from the office of head designer John Tullis. Containing original sketches, fabric swatches and publicity photographs, these archives have proved invaluable in dating garments and reconstructing the company's design and production processes. Additional research at Lancashire Archives and detailed object analysis further contextualised Horrockses within Britain's post-war textile and fashion industries, revealing the relationship between couture, ready-to-wear and Lancashire's cotton heritage.

The publication brings together leading voices in fashion history and museum practice. Alongside my own research as Decorative Art Curator at the Harris and custodian of the Horrockses collection, contributions were made by Amber Butchart, Dr Christine Boydell, Nadine Coyne, Lisa Mason, Matthew Storey, Dr Liz Tregenza and Paige Blake. Together, these authors provide fresh perspectives on design, textiles, social history, visual culture and fashion, creating a publication that balances scholarly research with broad public appeal.

A significant milestone was the appointment of Scala Arts & Heritage Publishers. Scala's expertise in producing high-quality museum publications ensured the book met the highest editorial and design standards while remaining accessible to both specialists and general readers. Close collaboration throughout the editorial and production process resulted in a visually rich publication that reflects the importance of the collection.

The grant also enabled the Harris to secure additional funding from the Harris Trust and the Friends of The Harris to commission extensive new photography and acquire contextual historical images. Professional photography documented key garments, archives and textiles in exceptional detail, capturing the quality of Horrockses design, print and craftsmanship. These images not only enhance the publication but also provide a lasting visual resource for future research, exhibitions and digital interpretation.

The publication marks the first time the museum's remarkable design books and sample sheets have been reproduced in print, making these exceptional research resources accessible to an international audience. It also consolidates new scholarship on Horrockses Fashions and strengthens the Harris' position as a centre for the study of post-war British fashion, textiles and design history.

The support of the PMC has been instrumental in realising this ambitious project. Through new research, outstanding photography and a major publication, the grant has ensured that the story of Horrockses Fashions, and the creativity, innovation and industrial heritage it represents, will reach new audiences and continue to inspire future generations.

Horrockses Fashions: Everyday Glamour & the Art of British Ready-to-Wear is free to view and showing at the Harris until 31 January 2027.