In a recent episode of The Repair Shop, BBC experts Dominic Chinea and Rebecca Bissonnet met a man named Ben, who brought in a lace dress that had belonged to his late sister, Lizzie. He hoped the team could restore it for a special reason.
A Dress with Deep Meaning
Ben explained that the dress was a key part of Lizzie's artwork. She had acquired it years ago in what he called a 'sorry state' and had painted on it from the late 1980s until 2007, as part of a series. Ben revealed that Lizzie had been born a man 35 years earlier, and the dress held great significance for her.
He shared that there had long been questions about Lizzie's gender and fluidity, and that she had studied fine art, had a party, and had a daughter named Ellie. It was in the 1980s that Lizzie began to transition and gain confidence, according to Ben.
A Recent Loss
Sadly, Ben revealed that Lizzie had died just 10 weeks before the episode was filmed, at the age of 68. He said she had smoked 40 cigarettes a day for four decades before contracting Covid and pneumonia.
Ben commented: "She should be here telling you this story. She should have this dress here." He called the dress her 'creative rock', which is why it had been painted in various ways and interpretations.
Restoration Challenges
Ben's wish was to have a posthumous exhibition for Lizzie, with the dress as the focal point, before returning it to her daughter. He wanted the colouring restored to its 'original lacy cream white', as it had yellowed from years of smoking in the living room.
However, Rebecca delivered a blow to his hopes, replying, "Realistically, I'm not sure," explaining that it might not return to the bright white he hoped for. Ben remained undeterred, noting that the garment was already 40 years old when Lizzie acquired it, so the exact original shade was uncertain.
An Emotional Reveal
When Ben returned to the workshop to see Rebecca's work, he was moved to tears. He called the result 'lovely' and was blown away. Rebecca revealed that the skirt's shade closely matched the original, which was more of a cream colour than he had initially thought.
The Repair Shop is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
