03/08/2026
🪡🧵 INTRODUCING: HORROCKSES ON STILTS! ✨
Hi! I’m Joshua Holden, a creative artist originally from Chorley and now living and working in Preston.
This summer, I’m working with Encounter Festival on a huge new creative project inspired by Preston’s iconic fashion history — Horrockses on Stilts.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll be:
✨ Designing & making 8 brand-new illuminated stilt-walking dresses
🪡 Hosting 15 public sewing workshops across Preston
👗 Working with local communities to create up to 12 additional dresses
And it’s all leading to one big moment…
On 19th September, our collection will come to life as the dresses are modelled and worn through Preston as part of Encounter Festival 2026. 🎪✨
Want to get involved in making one of the dresses?
Keep an eye out for workshop information from Encounter Festival, The Foxton Centre, The Gujarati Centre and The Harris.
And follow along here as we dive into 1950s Preston, explore the story and style of Horrockses Fashions, and bring a huge splash of fashion, colour and creativity back to Preston’s streets. 🌸👗
Funded by Arts Council England & Preston City Council.