Audrey Hepburn's wardrobe...

These beautiful dresses are in the Manchester Art Gallery at the moment. They were designed and crafted in the 1950s. They were made as part of a project to promote Manchester cotton. They were designed by some of the top London and Paris designers of the day and were made to show that everyday cotton could be as classy as more expensive materials like silk. Sadly, even as they were being made, Manchester's cotton industry was about to go into the last stage of its terminal decline. It's a pity as these frocks are beautiful. I thought I'd walked into Audrey Hepburn's wardrobe. They are usually kept in the Museum of Costume in Platt Fields Park but they have been brought into town and are on show in Manchester Art Gallery.