Hilary Davidson

Jane Austen's Pelisse Reconstruction Beginning in 2007, Hilary Davidson’s Jane Austen Pelisse Project examines a brown silk pelisse dating from about 1812–14 and traditionally associated with Jane Austen. Held by Hampshire County Museum Services and Archives and now cared for by Jane Austen’s House, the garment is the only known surviving item of outerwear linked to Austen through family provenance. Through detailed study of its materials, construction, condition, and historical context, Davidson has documented the garment and produced accurate reconstructions to investigate how it was made, fitted, and worn. This ongoing research continues to generate new insights into Regency dress and Austen’s material world. The accompanying video, created by Davidson in collaboration with fashion designer and educator Larissa King, presents a digital reconstruction of the pelisse, demonstrating its construction and movement while highlighting the methods and discoveries that continue to shape this long-term investigation Bio Hilary Davidson is a dress historian whose research focuses on the clothing and textiles of the long eighteenth century, particularly the Regency period. Her work combines object-based study, archival research, and practical reconstruction to investigate how garments were made, worn, and understood in their historical context. Davidson has published widely on dress history and material culture, including Dress in the Age of Jane Austen (2019). Since 2007, she has undertaken extensive research on a silk pelisse associated with Jane Austen, producing accurate reconstructions based on detailed examination of the original garment. Her research has contributed to scholarship on Austen, Regency fashion, and historical dressmaking.