'We are planning a beautiful immersive exhibition'- Harris shares sneak peek of upcoming Horrockses exhibition

The Harris Museum, Art Gallery & Library is preparing to open a major exhibition celebrating one of the most remarkable fashion stories Britain has ever produced, which began right here in Preston.

Last month, the Harris revealed it would launch an exhibition in September all about Horrockses Fashion, a clothing brand born from a Lancashire cotton mill, designed in Preston, sold at Harrods and Selfridges, and worn by the Queen.

Four months away from the grand opening, the Post were invited down to the Harris for a sneak peek into preparations.

Showing us around the museum stores currently housing the Horrockses dresses was the decorative art curator at the Harris, Scott Schiavone.

We were able to film shots of the gorgeous pieces which are set to go on display in 'Horrockses Fashions: Everyday Glamour and the Art of Ready to Wear’ on September 19 2026 through to January 31 2027.

Teasing us on what visitors can expect from the free exhibition, Scott said: “What we are planning for our visitors is a beautiful immersive fashion exhibition which will showcase up to 60 Horrockses dresses, intertwined with examples of European couture, design books, sample sheets. One of the signatures of Horrockses Fashions was of course florals, which really tapped into that idea of post-World War II femininity. And we will have an immersive Horrockses garden where you'll be able to meander through dresses printed with floral patterns in a garden setting complete with paper flower installations and sample sheets which show you the breadth and depth of Horrockses' floral designs.

“What I'm most excited about this exhibition is showcasing the Harris's collection of Horrockses dresses, which is the largest museum collection of Horrockses dresses in the UK. And I'm really excited about showing you the breadth of our collection and the variety of different styles, silhouettes, and prints that we have.”

The Harris indeed holds over 100 dresses and September’s exhibition will be the first time that this collection has been brought fully to public attention at The Harris since a major show 25 years ago.

Alongside the exhibition, Scott, who has spent years building the scholarly case for Horrockses, is publishing the first major new book on the subject — Everyday Glamour: Horrockses Fashions from Royalty to Ready to Wear (SCALA) — to coincide with the exhibition.

On his upcoming book, curator Scott said: “This publication brings together authors from different disciplines across the country to share their new perspectives on Horrockses. And we look at themes such as florals and femininity, couture connections, and textile designers in the postwar British artistic landscape."

Copies of the publication will be available in The Harris shop.

For further information on the hisotry of Horrockseses Fashion and the upcoming exhbition, read our original story here.