Preston museum's Horrockses map-print housecoat appeal pays off after Edinburgh discovery
The Harris museum in Preston has announced that the missing Horrockses map-print housecoat has been found in Edinburgh, ahead of its major exhibition celebrating the label, opening this weekend
A Preston museum’s appeal to track down a rare piece of Preston fashion history has paid off, with the museum announcing the missing Horrockses map-print housecoat has been found.
The garment, one of only two known surviving examples from Horrockses Fashions' very first collection, has now been carefully wrapped in acid-free tissue paper and collected by The Harris.
The item, found in Edinburgh, is ready to go on display as part of the museum's major exhibition celebrating the label, opening this weekend, 80 years after it first appeared on the catwalk.
The housecoat, made in a distinctive print featuring a map of the British Isles, was one of the pieces shown at Horrockses' debut fashion show on April 3, 1946.
Following a national appeal launched by The Harris, the garment's owner, who wishes to remain anonymous, came forward after seeing coverage of the search in Smithsonian Magazine.
The owner, a fashion historian and PhD candidate at the University of Edinburgh with two decades of experience in vintage fashion, purchased the piece from a vintage dealer on Instagram in 2021, drawn to its 1940s novelty print and map theme.
They said: "I knew that this piece was special when I first saw it, but I had no idea that it was one of two surviving examples, or from the first Horrockses collection.
“I worked for a number of years for Didier Ludot in Paris and I have a degree in fashion design and construction, so I understand how these garments are made and know something about the history of novelty prints.
“I am also an art historian just completing a University of Edinburgh PhD in fashion history, largely focused on the 1930s to the 1960s, so this piece fits squarely within my interests, both personal and professional.
“The print’s history is incredibly meaningful to me, and I also love the way my own academic trajectory intersects here, since I’ve just become aware that the Horrockses company hired designers from the Royal College of Art where I took my master’s degree in fashion history.
“As a fashion historian who aspires to work in museums in some capacity, I understand the need for this garment to be a part of this important project. I’m delighted that the housecoat is having a visit home and I look forward to seeing the exhibition.”
Coun Hindle, Cabinet Member of Culture and Arts at Preston City Council, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have found this garment. When we launched the appeal, we hoped someone, somewhere, might recognise it, but to actually track down one of only two surviving examples from Horrockses' very first collection is amazing.
“It's a wonderful reminder of just how much history is still out there, cared for in private collections, waiting to be reconnected with its story.
“Having now collected the housecoat from Edinburgh, carefully wrapped in acid-free tissue paper for its journey, we're delighted it will be ready in time for this weekend's opening.
“We're incredibly grateful to the owner for coming forward, and we can't wait to welcome this piece home to Preston, 80 years on from when it first appeared on the catwalk.”
The Harris is still keen to hear from anyone who may own or know the whereabouts of the matching map-print dress, produced by Horrockses in the same fabric, or who has information about any other Horrockses garments.
Anyone with information is asked to get in touch at [email protected].
The housecoat will go on display as part of Horrockses Fashions: Everyday Glamour and the Art of British Ready-to-Wear,opening on Saturday and running until January 31, next year.