It's 1786 in Alexandria, Virginia. An argument breaks out at the market between a black woman enslaved on George Washington’s plantation and a white woman who believes she has stolen her dress made of fine Indian chintz fabric. What the encounter reveals is a complex pattern of hierarchy within fashion and stylistic expression in which black Americans have struggled to gain recognition for centuries.

In the second episode of Torn, Gus-Casely-Hayford explores letters and extracts from the diaries of George Washington to understand the interwoven histories of both slavery and textiles in America.

By the late 18th century, chintz patterns copied from a centuries old Indian tradition were firmly established as a signifier of high rank within white society. Guy goes in search of black Americans designers who have dared to express themselves in the predominantly white world of fashion. From the enslaved seamstress Elizabeth Keckly who bought her freedom with proceeds from her dress shop situated in the shadows of the White House, to Dapper Dan’s journey from a hustler in Harlem to a designer of some of the biggest stars in hip hop.


With art historian Jennifer Van Horn, curator Elizabeth Way and letters from Charles McIver to George Washington.

Presenter: Gus Casely-Hayford Executive Producer: Rosie Collyer Assistant Producer: Nadia Mehdi Researcher: Zeyana Yussuf Production Coordinator: Francesca Taylor Sound Design: Rob Speight

A Novel production for BBC Radio 4