Julie Mitchell, Artist Teacher: B.Ed. (Hons.), M.A.
Julie is a professional historical livery and costume maker. She has made all but one of the liveries worn by herself and David, shown on this website.
A livery is a non-military uniform, worn by town criers and other non-military professions. Many of the liveries she has designed and made for town criers have won awards at national and world level for authenticity, design and quality. She has exported liveries to Australia and Japan. The Japanese livery was commissioned by the five-star Royal Chester Hotel in Nagasaki for their Bell Captain who officially receives guests to the hotel. The Australian livery enabled its wearer to win the Australian prize for Best-Dressed Town Crier at the Australian National Championships. This livery was officially received on behalf of the Australian Government by the Agent General for Europe, who made a special trip to Chester to undertake this task.
After a client’s detailed measurements are taken at Julie’s studio, and design ideas are created and agreed, Julie creates a bespoke ‘toile’ of the outfit to be worn. This is a prototype made in calico that will be finely adjusted to fit the client perfectly. Finished garments are then made, based on Julie’s technical and hands-on historical research of late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century examples. Julie uses the finest military wools and satin-style linings, as well as gold or silver ‘lace’ (braid) created by the providers of metal thread lace and embroidery to the Royal Household, diplomatic services and the military. Her liveries are ‘cast iron’, as she likes to put it: built to last.
Julie’s historical costumes are as accurate as they need to be, allowing for 21st century comfort and practicalities. For example, her Henry VIII costume needed to be fitted with a flip-top codpiece to house the client’s mobile phone!
