Harris Museum Seeks Rare 1940s Map-Print Housecoat by Horrockses Fashions

Key facts

• The Harris museum in Preston, UK, is searching for a rare 1940s housecoat patterned with a map of the British Isles by Horrockses Fashions.
• The housecoat was part of Horrockses' first collection, debuted on April 3, 1946.
• Only two examples are known: a burgundy version at the Imperial War Museum in London and a blue version in private hands.
• The Harris museum will open the exhibition 'Everyday Glamour: Horrockses Fashions from Royalty to Ready to Wear' on September 19, showcasing about 60 dresses.
• Horrockses Fashions was founded in Preston in 1791, initially as a cotton manufacturer.
• The brand launched its fashion line in the 1940s to counter the decline of Britain's cotton industry after World War I.
• Horrockses collaborated with artists like Eduardo Paolozzi and Graham Sutherland and hired graduates from the Royal College of Art.
• Queen Elizabeth II was a fan, receiving first pick of collections and taking dresses on her 1953 Commonwealth tour.
• Horrockses dresses were sold at department stores for £4 to £7, making them accessible to working women.
• Scott Schiavone, decorative art curator at The Harris, called the housecoat 'one of the most exciting and elusive garments from Horrockses' history.'