Lucy Adlington on Somerset County Library System of New Jersey

Lucy J. Adlington (born 1970) is a British social and textile

historian A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the stu ...

, collector of vintage clothing, and author. Many of her books examine women's lives and

fashion Fashion is a form of self-expression and autonomy at a particular period and place and in a specific context, of clothing, footwear, lifestyle, accessories, makeup, hairstyle, and body posture. The term implies a look defined by the fashion in ...

during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

and the

Holocaust The Holocaust, also known as the Shoah, was the genocide of European Jews during World War II. Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its collaborators systematically murdered some six million Jews across German-occupied Europe; a ...

. ''The Dressmakers of Auschwitz: The True Story of the Women Who Sewed to Survive'' has been translated into 22 languages and listed on ''The New York Times'' Best Seller list. Adlington also writes

young adult fiction Young adult fiction (YA) is a category of fiction written for readers from 12 to 18 years of age. While the genre is primarily targeted at adolescents, approximately half of YA readers are adults. The subject matter and genres of YA correlate ...

. Her YA work typically delves into themes of historical fiction, fantasy, and adventurous storytelling. ''The Red Ribbon'' was shortlisted for a "Young Quills Award" in the 14 to young adult category in 2018.

Early life and education

Lucy Adlington was born in 1970 in London. She has a master's in medieval studies from the

University of York , mottoeng = On the threshold of wisdom , established = , type = Public research university , endowment = £8.0 million , budget = £403.6 million , chancellor = Heather Melville , vice_chancellor = Charlie Jeffery , students ...

. She researched women's lives and their clothes from the

in detail. As a social and textile historian, Adlington is also interested in the evolution of clothing.

Clothing collection

Adlington is the founder of History Wardrobe, a company that specializes in historical costumes. In 2023 the

Bankfield Museum Bankfield Museum is a grade II listed historic house museum, incorporating a regimental museum and textiles gallery in Boothtown, Halifax, England. It is notable for its past ownership and development by Colonel Edward Akroyd, MP, and its gr ...

Halifax, England Halifax () is a minster and market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. It is the commercial, cultural and administrative centre of the borough, and the headquarters of Calderdale Council. In the 15th cen ...

, hosted an exhibition of Adlington's collection of vintage dresses and school uniforms. She has appeared on BBC Radio's ''

Woman's Hour ''Woman's Hour'' is a radio magazine programme broadcast in the United Kingdom on the BBC Light Programme, BBC Radio 2, and later BBC Radio 4. It has been on the air since 1946. History Created by Norman Collins and originally presented by A ...

'' to discuss the history of underwear.

Books

Through her writing, Adlington examines women's lives and the importance of clothing. ''Stitches in Time: The Story of the Clothes We Wear'' (2015) examines the evolution of clothing. Several of Adlington's books focus on the

and the

. ''Great War Fashion: Tales from the History Wardrobe'' (2013) describes the impact of the war on the women's labour market. Women lost jobs in the 'luxury' trades of dressmaking and millinery, and were faced with harder work and longer hours in unregulated workshops that made clothing and equipment for soldiers. ''Women’s Lives and Clothes in WW2: Ready for Action'' is credited with filling "a gap in the scholarship on women’s clothing and service during the war". In it, Adlington focuses on the women who wore the clothing and their experiences, and emphasizes the similarities between nationalities. ''The Dressmakers of Auschwitz'' (2021) centres on the subject of clothes, seamstresses, and hardships faced by female internees in concentration camps. It is a factual account of women who worked as seamstresses in the Auschwitz concentration camp. The Nazi commandant's wife, Hedwig Höss, used female prisoners as workers in a fashion salon known as the "Obere Nähstube", or "upper tailoring studio". Marta Fuchs, Berta Berkovich Kohút and other young women survived Auschwitz by designing and tailoring high-fashion clothing for elite Nazi women. After Adlington published a fictional account, ''The Red Ribbon'' (2017), descendants of some of the dressmakers contacted her with more information about the women who had worked in the camp. ''The Dressmakers of Auschwitz'' has been translated into 22 languages and recorded on ''The New York Times'' Best Seller list. Adlington has written several young adult novels, including ''The Red Ribbon'' (2017), a fictional story about a woman named Ella who was a seamstress in a concentration camp during the

in the

. The book was shortlisted for a "Young Quills Award" in the 14 to young adult category in 2018. Her work has earned recognition through nominations and shortlistings for awards including the Carnegie Medal, Manchester Book Prize, Leeds Book Prize, and Rotherham Book Award, for her books ''The Diary of Pelly-D'' and ''Burning Mountain''.

Nonfiction

* ''Great War Fashion: Tales from the History Wardrobe'' (2013, ) * ''Stitches in Time: The Story of the Clothes We Wear'' (2015, ) * ''Women's Lives and Clothes in WW2: Ready for Action'' (2019) * ''The Dressmakers of Auschwitz'' (2021)

Young adult fiction

* ''The Diary of Pelly D'' (2005) * ''Cherry Heaven'' (2007) * ''The Glittering Eye'' (2009) * ''Burning Mountain'' (2010) * ''Night Witches'' (2013, ) * ''The Red Ribbon'' (2017) * ''Summerland'' (2019)

References