The Harris and the University of Lancashire are developing a long-term strategic partnership that will place Preston’s fashion heritage at the heart of contemporary fashion design education, creativity and public engagement.

From left to right: Adrian Phillips – Chief Executive of Preston City Council, Professor Peter Lloyd RE – Dean of then School of Art and Media at University of Lancashire and Chair of Trustees at Friends of The Harris, Haneefah Patel – University of Lancashire Fashion Design student, Scott Schiavone – Decorative Art Curator at The Harris, Tessa Firth – University of Lancashire Fashion Promotion student, Paresh Palmer – Associate Dean of the School of Arts and Media at the University of Lancashire.

The collaboration will centre on The Harris’ Horrockses Fashions Collection, celebrating the legacy of the iconic British fashion brand and its place in post-war fashion and textile history. By connecting this important collection with the University’s BA (Hons) Fashion Design and BA (Hons) Fashion Promotion & Marketing courses, and potentially others, the partnership aims to give students new opportunities to explore historic design, develop innovative ideas and engage wider audiences with Preston’s cultural heritage.

Drawing on the world’s largest museum collection of Horrockses dresses, The Harris’ collection will become an important educational and creative resource, informing student projects and inspiring new approaches to fashion design. Students will also have opportunities to contribute to exhibitions and public events at The Harris.

The Harris’ current major exhibition in Gallery One, Horrockses Fashions: Everyday Glamour & the Art of British Ready-to-Wear, has already piloted this collaboration. University of Lancashire students have helped develop a major marketing campaign exploring Horrockses Fashions and memory, as well as styling exhibition mannequins with accessories such as 1950s hats and gloves. They have also contributed to the making of underpinnings and mounting of dresses on mannequins in preparation for the exhibition. Currently, students of  BA Fashion Promotion & Marketing are engaged in a collaboration project where they have to design and create products and direct a fashion shoot inspired by Horrockses Fashions and contemporary brands from today’s fashion market, bridging the gap between post-war and contemporary British fashion.

By bringing together The Harris’ nationally significant fashion collection and the University of Lancashire’s fashion design expertise, the partnership aims to strengthen Preston’s reputation as a centre for fashion heritage and innovation, creating a distinctive regional identity for both organisations.

The collaboration will support the development of co-produced, youth-led cultural initiatives, alongside opportunities for joint research exploring fashion heritage, sustainability and contemporary reinterpretation.

Councillor Hindle, Cabinet Member for Culture and Arts at Preston City Council, said: “Preston has a proud fashion and textile heritage, and this partnership is an exciting opportunity to celebrate that legacy while inspiring the next generation of designers.

“By bringing together The Harris’ nationally significant fashion collection and the University of Lancashire’s fashion design expertise, the partnership aims to strengthen Preston’s reputation as a centre for fashion heritage.”

Professor Peter Lloyd RE, Dean of the School of Arts and Media at the University of Lancashire, said: “This partnership with The Harris is a wonderful example of what can happen when a university and one of the region’s great cultural institutions bring their expertise and resources together. The Horrockses Fashions collection provides an extraordinary resource for our students, giving them opportunities to work directly with an internationally significant collection and connect their learning with real cultural and creative practice. Just as importantly, our students and staff can bring their own ideas, research and creativity to The Harris. It’s a genuinely reciprocal partnership, rooted in Preston but with relevance and ambition far beyond the city – and Horrockses is just one example of the many exciting ways we can work together.”

Tessa Firth, University of Lancashire Fashion Promotion student, said: “Through CJAM, a university networking event, I was able to gain work experience at The Harris Museum, where I contributed to the Horrockses exhibition by researching, sourcing, and styling accessories to complement the dresses on display. I particularly enjoyed the creative process of bringing the outfits to life and seeing how thoughtful styling could help tell their stories.

“This experience has supported my studies by developing my research skills, visual styling, and attention to detail, while giving me valuable insight into working on a professional exhibition. It also allowed me to explore a different approach to styling, add a new dimension to my portfolio, and appreciate the value of networking.”