In 2004 Charlotte Smith inherited her Quaker godmother’s collection of vintage clothing. With more than 3000 pieces, spanning over two centuries, it encompasses every item possible from designer ballgowns, to dancing slippers, hats and lingerie. Doris Darnell didn’t just collect these items she originally received as gifts from friends and acquaintances, but also recorded the stories behind each piece. Over the decades they’ve become an account of “the changes in social history and how women have evolved and how fashion was a big part of that”. Dreaming of Dior now combines these snippets of real life with colourful illustrations by Grant Cowan.