RED by The School of Historical Dress

The School of Historical Dress promotes the study of historical attire, including that of non-Western cultures, with a focus on primary evidence such as surviving clothing and textiles, complemented by written and visual sources. By fostering new research in the field, the School provides students with essential skills to analyse historical garments, including material identification, cut, construction, and historical context. Courses cover traditional methods of pattern drafting, construction, and decorative techniques, often practiced through the creation of samplers and toiles. A key focus of the curriculum is teaching students how to properly fit historical garments on a person, while exploring how these garments were worn in their original contexts.

Image: Fragment of crimson silk velvet on a yellow silk ground 16th or 17th century.
Image above: A dalmatic, cope and chasuble c.1600-1650 in crimson and white silk with a lampas weave.

The upcoming curriculum will encompass all aspects of designing and creating historical clothing for theatre, film, and living history. The goal is to cultivate the next generation of designers, tailors, seamstresses, and other skilled makers. Instruction is led by practitioners who are actively engaged in these crafts, offering students from diverse backgrounds invaluable hands-on learning. Past short course attendees include designers, makers, teachers, living history interpreters, curators, conservators, and archivists.

The School is also home to the Janet Arnold Archive, a significant collection of colour images of surviving garments and related materials. Additionally, the School's growing collection of garments and textiles represents attire from various social classes, spanning ancient times to the present. These collections are central to student projects, allowing hands-on experience with selected objects. While the School is currently unable to accommodate research due to space limitations, it hopes to do so in the future.

Image: A reconstructed pair of silk velvet trunk-hose and matching silk satin sleeve for Jude Law as Henry VIII in 'Firebrand', designed by Michael O'Connor, 2022.

The current exhibition RED, part of the "Our Collection by Colour" series, will be open until 13 October, Fridays 16:00 - 20:00 BST, and Saturdays/Sundays 13:00 - 17:00 BST.

Admission is free, with donations appreciated. The exhibition will showcase rare Renaissance textiles, ecclesiastical garments, reconstructions, and a costume worn by Jude Law as Henry VIII in the 2024 film Firebrand.

Images courtesy of The School of Historical Dress. 

Find out more and plan your visit by CLICKING HERE.