About the talk
When: Thursday 27 February, 12.30pm to 1.15pm
Discover how Paisley shawls became a fashionable status symbol in Victorian Britain during a lunchtime talk in collaboration with Paisley Museum. This talk will be delivered by Paisley Museum's Curator of Textiles, Catriona Baird. During the talk, Catriona will highlight some of the fashions on show in the painting 'Dividend Day at the Bank of England', by George Elgar Hicks (1824-1914). In particular, the colourful shawls worn by the young women depicted in the centre of the crowd. The talk will examine the complex history of these type of shawls, which were inspired by luxurious textiles from Kashmir with their distinctive tear drop pattern. It will also reveal how these fashion garments were connected to different levels of society, those who made them and wore them and how they were often used to convey wealth and social status.
About Paisley Museum
Paisley Museum’s dress and textile collections include a collection of over 1200 shawls, pattern books and textile production tools and machinery. It is one of Scotland’s Recognised Collections of National Significance. The town was a leading producer of shawls throughout the 1800s. The museum is currently being redeveloped as part of the cultural regeneration of the town. The Paisley Museum Re-Imagined project, is creating new displays, interpretation and facilities for 21st century audiences.
