1795 Isabella Stormonth

Scottish Transitional Dress Fabric

Product Description

This floral design is inspired by the style and atmosphere of a late eighteenth-century Scottish gown associated with the Wedderburn family of Angus, Scotland.

Please note: this fabric is not an exact reproduction of the original museum garment or textile. Instead, it is a creative historical interpretation designed to capture the overall character, elegance and decorative feeling of late 18th C s fashion.

Featuring delicate floral sprays and flowing garlands in soft shades of blue, green, red and yellow, the design reflects the growing popularity of printed cotton muslins during the closing decades of the eighteenth century.

The gown that inspired this design represents a fascinating transitional period in fashion history. While retaining elements of the robe à l’Anglaise, its softer lines and gathered bodice anticipate the lighter silhouettes that would soon develop into Regency fashion.

Well suited for

• Late 1780s and early 1790s costume projects
• Transitional dresses between Georgian and Regency fashion
• Robe à l’Anglaise and round gown interpretations
• Historical costume and living history events
• Museum-inspired sewing and textile projects

Design & Historical Context

This design draws inspiration from fashion worn in Scotland during the late eighteenth century, a period when printed cotton muslins became increasingly fashionable throughout Britain.

The floral garlands and delicate botanical motifs echo the romantic taste of the era while remaining a modern artistic interpretation. Rather than reproducing a specific surviving textile, the design seeks to evoke the visual language and charm of late Georgian dress fabrics.

As such, this fabric should be viewed as a historical look-alike inspired by period fashion rather than a documented reconstruction of an original museum textile.

Isabella Stormonth (1787–1862)
Isabella Stormonth was born on 26 August 1787 in Airlie, Angus, Scotland. She was the eldest daughter of Rev. James Stormonth, minister of Airlie, and Isobel Wedderburn (1753–1795).

Through her mother, Isabella belonged to the distinguished Scottish Wedderburn family, a long-established Angus family associated with the estate of Pearsie. Her maternal grandparents were Robert Wedderburn of Pearsie (1708–1786) and Isobel Edward (1718–1788).

Isabella grew up within the Scottish gentry and was connected through her family to several prominent families in Angus and Dundee during the late eighteenth century.