Ready-made in Yorkshire

A group of MA students from the School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies invite you to an exhibition at the University of Leeds, in collaboration with the Yorkshire Fashion Archive.

From its fine wool manufacturing to the birthplace of Marks & Spencer, this exhibition celebrates Yorkshire’s rich textile history. Resources from the Yorkshire Fashion Archive have been used to represent how style has changed, decade by decade.

The exhibition title — Ready-made in Yorkshire — is used to address not only the manufacturing industry within Yorkshire, but also the garments made by local women using classic sewing and knitting techniques, creating an individual style during a fast-fashion revolution in the 20th century.

One of Yorkshire’s greatest achievements will be displayed through a timeline of the 20th century. Through this journey, the focus is on four local women and the contents of their wardrobes, which embody the trends of their time. Through their donations to the Yorkshire Fashion Archive, we are able to explore homemade garments and high street fashion, giving a voice to our community.

The exhibition is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Ready-made in Yorkshire forms part of a series of exhibitions and projects undertaken by MA students as part of an Interpretations module. Join us at the launch event for all 10 projects on Thursday 13 December, with exhibition tours at 2pm and 3pm, and a celebration event from 5 to 7pm in the School of Fine Art, History of Art and Cultural Studies.

Image: Photograph of Friend of Yorkshire Fashion Archive wearing Temple-Brooks Terylene cocktail dress, circa 1960s. Courtesy of Yorkshire Fashion Archive.