A Brief History About Paisley - Louise Coffey-Webb

The FIDM Museum Foundation regularly gives hands-on fashion-related presentations to FIDM students. This month, they covered the history of paisley.

The paisley fashion trend has been around for well over a century. When you consider the life-span of most trends like bell bottoms, fringe, poodle skirts, polyester, and tie-dyes, the longevity of paisley is truly significant.

In the 17th century, the textile industry was booming. The East India Trading Company was bringing in large shipments of textiles into Europe from Asia and materials like cashmere and silk were very popular. A census taken in the Scottish town of Paisley around 1695 gave evidence to this fact by showing that the largest group of tradesmen were the weavers. These tradesmen produced quality silks and muslins over the next century. The skills they gained while working with these fabrics laid the foundation for the intricate work seen in garments made in the town of Paisley where the fashion got its name.

Garments manufactured in Paisley carried the recognizable tear drop design – usually at the tips and ends of the garment. Paisley's most famous product was a shawl bearing the teardrop design. This shawl was made from cashmere and originally imitated an Indian garment brought into Europe by the East India Trading Company.

Louise Coffey-Webb, from FIDM's Museum Foundation, gave a descriptive presentation on the history of paisley fashion to FIDM students and faculty. She brought in samples from her own collection as well as garments from FIDM's extensive museum collection for the audience to handle. A slideshow accompanied the presentation, and a question-and-answer session followed.