Tuesday 8 September 2-3 p.m.: Tour: Dress History Teaching Collection at Brighton University with Lou Taylor

Mithras House, Moulsecoomb Campus, University of Brighton, Lewes Rd, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN2 4AT, UK

Lou Taylor is one of the pioneering figures in the field of dress history and fashion studies in the UK. Over a career spanning more than five decades, she has helped transform dress history into a respected academic discipline through her teaching, curatorial work and influential publications. Formerly Professor of Dress History at University of Brighton, Taylor has taught generations of students, including leading designers and makers, while championing the importance of studying clothing as a vital record of social, cultural and personal history.

Central to her work is the remarkable University of Brighton Dress History Teaching Collection, an archive of more than 800 garments and textile objects gathered through decades of research, travel, donations and collecting. Ranging from everyday dress to rare global textiles, the collection reflects Taylor’s belief that all clothing carries stories worth preserving and studying. Unlike many museum collections, the archive is designed for direct engagement, allowing students and researchers to handle garments closely and explore their construction, materials and histories through touch and observation.

Event Description
Visitors are invited to join Lou Taylor for a special guided tour of the Dress History Teaching Collection at the University of Brighton. Offering a rare opportunity to encounter garments and textile objects up close, the tour will explore the stories stitched through the collection, from couture pieces and wartime embroidery kits to global dress, printed textiles and everyday clothing rich with personal history. Through Taylor’s unique perspective as a historian, curator and lifelong collector, the event opens a fascinating window into the social lives of textiles and the enduring power of dress to connect people, memory and place.

Event Cancellation Policy
All bookings are non-refundable. However, if you let us know that you are unable to attend an event you have booked at least two weeks before the event, we will open up your place. If we find another participant, you will be offered a credit note.

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