These talk is part of the lecture programme accompanying ArtConTex a major textile event being held at The Minories Colchester from 2nd to 5th October 2025.
Zika and Lida Asher married in 1939 and while on honeymoon Czechoslovakia was annexed so they went to London, bringing their knowledge of textiles with them. From a small start they changed the reputation of British postwar fashion and fashion fabrics, selling in France, Italy, America and, in England, to the likes of Molyneaux. You'll see the prints worn by HM Queen Elizabeth II (1947) and Princess Diana (1983). Especially known for turning scarfs into fashion statements, these feature in the talk and include examples by Henry Moore and Jean Cocteau.
Mary has over 40 years of experience as an archivist, curator and writer, mainly freelance, specialising in textiles and wallpaper. Mostly focusing on 19th and 20th-century collections, this lecture draws on her work with Dilys Blum, Philadelphia Museum of Art, for their 2019 exhibition and book, Off the Wall: American Art to Wear. Also among her many books are two broad overviews for Yale University Press and Thames & Hudson respectively: Textiles: The Art of Mankind (2012) and World Textiles (revised 2022). The former informed the Fashion Textile Museum exhibition that opened 28th March, 2025
