A tale of a beautiful silk dress

Here’s a tale about a beautiful silk  dress and some Instagram ladies.

One day a lady walked into a shop

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“I have a dress that I don’t wear anymore and is in need of a  zip, do you think you could use the fabric for anything.” She said.

“But it’s to beautiful to be cut up” said the shop owner. “Wait, I have a customer who I think would love it.  How about if I fix the zip and let her have it for the price of the zip repair. £8”.   The dress owner thought that was a lovely idea.

A day or two later the shop owner messaged me via Instagram to say she had something for me, would I be calling in the shop.

As it happened Philip was in Bacup, he returned home full of excitement, hardly able to wait to show me the treasure he had in his hands.

“Oh my” said I, “it’s beautiful.  But it will never fit me, how sad.  Too much lockdown cake.   I know just the person it would look fantastic on though”. And so the story continues.

I then did a bit of research on the label and was thrilled to find it was by a British designer - Alison Taylor.

After more digging I managed to get in touch with Alison through her Instagram page 

She was amazed when I showed her the photo and said yes it was one of hers that she had designed over 20 years ago, made as a sample for London & New York.   

I told her the story so far and that I would be sending it on to my friend who would be sure to love and care for it.

You can read about Alison’s company here.

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Switching over to my friend Julia’s Instagram account I sent her some pictures and asked if she would like it.  I could hear her exclamation of joy, albeit virtually. 

So it’s journey continued.  It’s certainly well travelled. From the creative mind of designer Alison Taylor to the spinners, weavers and seamstresses of Vietnam to bring into life ..... onto London, then at some point bought from a vintage shop in the city before arriving in the wardrobe of a generous lady in Bacup, Lancashire and then the shop of a thoughtful dressmaker in the same town.  A short journey and stay at our house in Whitworth before ending up in Gosport, Hampshire.

It’s made from the most beautiful Vietnamese silk with a side zip and two hidden darts on the front.  It really is special and I’m so glad to have been a small part of it’s story.

But what next I hear you say......... well it ended up back with me via the Lake District.  It didn’t fit Julia or our friend Maria who we were visiting in Ulverston in the summer.  So now it’s hanging up in my wardrobe waiting for it’s next adventure to who knows where or when.