Designer calls for Paisley-patterned items

A fashion designer is leading an appeal for members of the public to share Scotland’s famous Paisleypatterned items they have at home – from clothing to cookware.

The most unusual submissions incorporating the famous pattern will be considered for a new display being created as part of a £42m museum redevelopment.

They will go on show next to a couture outfit by Paisley-born fashion designer Pam Hogg, who last year created the “Paisley poodle” print inspired by the town museum’s collection of objects featuring the teardrop motif.

These range from 19th Century Paisley shawls to everyday items including a frying pan and a roll of toilet paper.

Ms Hogg said: “The Paisley pattern has had a lasting impact on the world and has been endlessly reinterpreted and reinvented.

“There are examples of Paisley pattern all around us and I’d like to encourage the public to share their items and the stories of how they were acquired, used, loved and passed down.

“The most interesting will be considered for display alongside a piece from my 2020 couture show, where I created the Paisley Poodle print incorporating my lifelong love of the iconic Paisley design.”

Paisley’s Free Public Library and Museum opened on April 11, 1871, holding its first exhibition of Paisley shawls in 1905 in recognition of the impact the textiles had had on the town’s fortunes.

Shawls featuring the motif began to arrive in Europe in the 18th Century and by the 1800s were extremely fashionable.

The deadline for submissions is May 30.