Celebrating Stockport

Installation

The window display replicates that of a milliners shop front – hats, hat boxes, retro ads and other ‘hatting’ ephemera is stylishly displayed giving the impression of an actual shop front. Cut vinyl covers the face of the window, a large, leaping rabbit cut out of the centre of the window creates dramatic effect and aims to attract passing shoppers to the window. The rabbit design references an authentic 1940’s ‘hatting’ advert for Stockport’s Vernon Mill factory. This is an iconic image as it was the rabbit fur that made the industry so distinctive in its trade. It represents glamour and success for Stopfordians and an emblem of pride for times gone by. Post war ‘hatlessness’ due to change in fashion and the desire to be informal caused panic in the retail environment and ultimately lead to the closure of the local hat factories. Parallels are drawn between this worrying time and our current financial climate. The use of a vacant shop reflects this.