The Lightfoot Textile Archive
The Lightfoot Textile Archive is housed at Janie Lightfoot Textiles LLP in northwest London within the conservation studio building.
It grew from a personal collection built on a passion for textiles, social history and a need to learn. Having worked in the textile and fashion industry for several years, Janie began her career as a textile conservator in the late 1970’s. It was then that she started to collect textiles, to learn about the structure and fabrication of similar objects that were coming through the studio, helping further her knowledge of techniques and social history.
As the studio grew, the collection grew, and it was during this period Janie realised that there was no immediate resource with easy access for students to learn from, where they could examine and handle genuine objects.
The Archive, as it stands now, comprises of over 3,500 objects, including flat textiles, tapa cloths, tapestries, haberdashery, costume and accessories. The oldest textiles are Coptic and are dated circa 300 AD.
There are examples of European fashion, lace, shoes and accessories with the main spectrum ranging from the 18th to 21st centuries that have been lovingly collected over many years and from all over the globe. The provenance of the collection is far reaching, coming from diverse geographical locations such as Central Asia, South America, the Middle East, Europe and the South Pacific. The Archive is currently being updated onto a database.
The David and Janie Lightfoot African Art Collection is also housed at the studio, it is a diverse and broad material cultural collection, with over 1,200 objects, including beadwork and ceremonial costumes. Both collections are available for study purposes by arrangement and are frequently used to provide visual aids for lectures.
The studio has a long-standing relationship with Universities, Colleges and with local schools. School and College students can spend one to two weeks gaining work experience here. Whilst further education students can spend longer with an internship.
The students work in the studio with the aim of taking on the role of a young worker, engaging in tasks, using and developing work skills, involving them in work processes to gain a full and well-rounded experience of a work environment.
We also host university research interns for their placement year, giving them the opportunity to hone their skills under the supervision of our senior conservator, and to encourage the development of museum and conservation practices for the future.
The research students and interns include those from British educational institutions such as Glasgow, Nottingham Trent, and Kingston Universities, Brent & Harrow Work Experience Consortium, Holland Park School Kensington, and students from overseas including from India, Bulgaria and Ireland.
The training programmes at the studio run within the educational, museums and historical institutions curriculum. They are preliminary, secondary and advanced conservation sessions that are dependent on the academic year, the type of textile studies and the stance of the conservator within the institution.
It is aimed not only at conservation practices and materials but also considers the social, historical and cultural background of each object.
The studio arranges study tours. Janie has collaborated with ICON in the past organising conservation study trips to museums and galleries in America, Italy and Russia.
The Lightfoot Textile Archive has loaned to many institutions including the British Library, V&A, and The Fan Museum.
A Rare Late Victorian Cycling Dress
Loaned to the British Library for Unfinished Business: The Fight for Women’s Rights exhibition. Duration of Loan: 17 March 2020 – March 2021.
1810’s Muslin Dress
Loaned to Goodnestone Park for a Jane Austen exhibition. On display at The Fan Museum for the current ‘Fans in the Time of Jane Austen’ exhibition celebrating 250 years since her birth. On display until 21st March 2026.
Bags: Inside Out 2021–2022
This was a wonderful exhibition to be involved in, the V&A’s “Bags: Inside Out” exhibition, with over 240 bags and objects spanning from the 16th century to the present day, looking at the history, design, and cultural significance of these amazing bags.
It opened in 2022 and included four of our bags from The Lightfoot African Art Collection. The exhibition toured China with various stops including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, and Hong Kong, and then the seventh and final venue, Art Safari, Bucharest in September 2023.
Expert textile conservation and restoration services with a passion for preserving history.