The Salisbury Museum has been awarded £87,828 for a project focusing on its fashion collection.

The project, Fashioning Our World, aims to work with young people to explore sustainability through the museum’s fashion collection, and has just started.

The funding has been made available by The Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund – delivered by the Museums Association.

Project manager Katy England said: “Many of the items in our fashion collection have been repaired, re-worn and re-fashioned and this is part of their story. These examples of sustainability in the past can inspire us to look at our own clothes differently."

“Other items, such as those made from coral or feathers show us that not everything was more sustainable in the past, but these can also help us look at whether things have improved,” added Katy.

This initiative aims to work alongside local young people to use the stories that the collection tells to inspire others in the community to think differently about fashion sustainability.

“The young people taking part in the project will be able to learn about the collection, try out new skills and then decide on their own ways to inspire the community supported by museum volunteers, staff and a team of experts. I can’t wait to see the ideas the young people come up with,” said Katy.

Once the scheme is underway The Salisbury Museum will work with Dorset Museum, who also have an important collection of fashion and textile items.

Both museums are part of Wessex Museums, a thriving museum partnership across Wiltshire and Dorset. Wessex Museums has made a financial contribution to the initiative as well.

Fashioning Our World builds on the work that the museum has undertaken with its fashion collection over the last four years, including the redesign of the museum’s Fashion Gallery.

This was opened in August 2020 by British fashion icon Dame Zandra Rhodes.

The Salisbury Museum fashion collection contains over 3,500 items dating from the last 300 years.

The garments are from all aspects of life including weddings and christenings, formal occasions and occupations such as farming and the military.

Accessories also form a large part of the collection and these include fans, brooches, parasols, buttons, gloves, hats and shoes.

If you are interested in taking part in the project, please contact Katy England at The Salisbury Museum via email: katyengland@salisburymuseum.org.uk.