History
The Language of Cloth
Textiles, tradition and the silent code of power.
Cloth speaks before a character says a word. Its weight, colour, condition and cut communicate status, aspiration, mourning, conformity or rebellion.
In the Ashworth novels, tailoring is never merely decorative. It is a system of knowledge and influence. The person who understands how others wish to be seen also understands something about their fears and ambitions.
That silent language allowed the historical setting to become intimate. Large changes in commerce and society could be felt through a fitting room, a worktable and the choices made over a single garment.