Our aim is to promote the study of historical dress, including that of non-Western cultures, by using primary evidence, in particular surviving clothing and textiles. Written and visual sources support this work.

The school encourages new research into historical dress and introduces students to the tools needed for this, such as how to study an object, to identify its materials, cut, construction and historical context. They learn how to document an object by pattern taking, drawing and photography. And finally, they are taught how to make such garments themselves.

The future curriculum will cover all aspects of designing and making historical clothing for theatre, cinema and the living history movement, with the aim of developing the skills and understanding needed to create new generations of historical tailors, seamstresses and other specialists.

The teaching is primarily by practitioners actively working in these skilled crafts, an approach invaluable to students from diverse backgrounds. Those who attended the short courses held so far included designers, makers, curators, conservators and archivists.

It will soon have an imprint for the production of drawn patterns, books and other teaching materials.

The school will house The Janet Arnold Archive including her unique and extensive collection of colour images, both of surviving clothing and related material. The Hopkins’ Collection of surviving garments and textiles from c 1700 onwards brings further riches. This large collection gathered over forty years by Alan and Vanessa Hopkins includes the dress of men and women from all social classes. These two collections will form the basis for projects, giving students the opportunity to handle selected objects as part of their studies.

Summer 2014 Courses: To view a list of our upcomming courses please download the PDF: Courses - Summer 2014

Previous Courses: To view a list of our recent courses please download the PDF: Courses - Autumn 2013 or view Images from previous courses

The school is based in London and holds both general and specialised courses

Patrons - Mark Rylance, Sir Roy Strong, Dame Vivienne Westwood Directors - Jenny Tiramani, Santina M. Levey, Vanessa Hopkins Associate Teachers - Harriet Barsby, Melanie Braun, Luca Costigliolo, Alan Hopkins, Karl Robinson, Claire Thornton, to join our mailing list and receive updates on our events and courses please write to info@theschoolofhistoricaldress.org.uk The School of Historical Dress is a Registered Charity, Number 1142188 47 Charles Square, London, N1 6HT