{{Short description|Fashion historian}} {{Infobox person | image = Eleanor medhurst 2024 2.jpg | caption = Medhurst speaking during a lecture at SOAS, University of London in 2024. | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=y|1997|4|24}} | birth_place = | other_names = Ellie Medhurst | alma_mater = {{Plainlist| * University of Brighton }} | occupation = | years_active = 2018–present | spouse = Lilith Dillon-Parkin | website = {{URL|https://dressingdykes.com/}} }}
'''Eleanor Medhurst''' (born 24 April 1997) is a fashion historian from Brighton. Her debut book ''Unsuitable: A History of Lesbian Fashion'' was released in 2024.
==Early life and education== Medhurst is from Brighton.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://artaloguepod.com/episode/violets-and-velvet-lesbian-art-and-fashion-history-with-dress-historian-eleanor-medhurst|title=Violets and Velvet: Lesbian Art and Fashion History with Dress Historian Eleanor Medhurst |work=The Artalogue|first=Madison|last=Beale|date=31 May 2024|accessdate=12 August 2025}}</ref> She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Fashion and Dress History in 2019 and a Master of Arts (MA) in the History of Design and Material Culture in 2021, both from the University of Brighton.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blogs.brighton.ac.uk/hums/2019/05/13/graduate-show-2019-eleanor-medhurst-fashion-and-dress-history/|title= Graduate Show 2019: Eleanor Medhurst: Fashion and Dress History|work=University of Brighton|first=Kate|last=Miller|date=13 May 2019|accessdate=12 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.popmatters.com/lesbian-fashion-eleanor-medhurst-unsuitable|title=This Lesbian Fashion History Is a Perfectly Tailored Fit |work=PopMatters|first=Megan|last=Volpert|date=28 May 2024|accessdate=12 August 2025}}</ref> She received a Yarwood Grant from the Costume Society for the latter.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://costumesociety.org.uk/awards/winners/eleanor-medhurst-yarwood-grant-winner-2020|title=Eleanor Medhurst, Yarwood Grant winner 2020|work=The Costume Society|accessdate=12 August 2025}}</ref>
==Career== During her studies, Medhurst worked at the Brighton Museum, contributing to the 2018 ''Queer Looks'' display and ''Queer the Pier''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20180704-a-queer-eye-for-style-identity-and-activism|title=A queer eye for style, identity and activism|work=BBC News|first=Dominic|last=Lutyens|date=5 July 2018|accessdate=12 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://blogs.brighton.ac.uk/hoad/2018/02/21/working-with-queer-looks/|title=Working with Queer Looks |work=University of Brighton|first=Harriet|last=Atkinson|date=21 February 2018|accessdate=12 August 2025}}</ref> She also had a column in ''Polyester Zine''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.grazia.co.in/fashion/pretty-in-pink-unravelling-lesbian-fashion-history-with-dressing-dykes-8501|title=Pretty In Pink: Unravelling Lesbian Fashion History with Dressing Dykes|work=Grazia|first=Zara|last=Afthab|date=27 November 2021|accessdate=12 August 2025}}</ref> and started uploading videos online.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.qwearfashion.com/home/style-profile-ellie-medhurst-reclaiming-pink|title=Style Profile: Ellie Medhurst, Reclaiming Pink|work=Qwear|first=Sonny|last=Oram|date=14 June 2019|accessdate=12 August 2025}}</ref> After completing her MA, Medhurst started the blog ''Dressing Dykes'', saying she "wanted to make this research accessible".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://lampoonmagazine.com/dykes-lesbian-history-of-lesbian-fashion-eleanor-medhurst/|title=Pills of lesbian fashion history. Eleanor Medhurst on diversity and Dressing Dykes|work=Lampoon|date=30 December 2023|accessdate=12 August 2025}}</ref>
In October 2023,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thebookseller.com/rights/hurst-scoops-history-of-lesbian-fashion-from-historian-medhurst|title=Hurst scoops history of lesbian fashion from historian Medhurst|work=The Bookseller|first=Katie|last=Fraser|date=16 October 2023|accessdate=12 August 2025}}</ref> Hurst Publishers acquired the rights to publish Medhurst's debut book ''Unsuitable: A History of Lesbian Fashion'' in June 2024.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sinisterwisdom.org/node/763|title=Review of Unsuitable: A History of Lesbian Fashion by Eleanor Medhurst|work=Sinister Wisdom|first=Gabe|last=Tejada|date=|accessdate=12 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.euppublishing.com/doi/10.3366/cost.2025.0352|title= Eleanor Medhurst, Unsuitable: A History of Lesbian Fashion|journal=Costume|publisher=Edinburgh University Press|first=Chelsie|last=Hares|date=18 August 2025|volume= 59|issue= 2|pages= 287–288|doi= 10.3366/cost.2025.0352|accessdate=19 August 2025|url-access=subscription}}</ref> The book's 18 chapters are each dedicated to specific communities, figures and time periods while also examining the hidden nature of specifically lesbian fashion history.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.vogue.com/article/eleanor-medhurst-unsuitable-lesbian-fashion|title= Unsuitable Traces the Lost History of Lesbian Fashion |work=Vogue|first=Hannah|last=Jackson|date=21 June 2024|accessdate=12 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://theconversation.com/from-tuxedos-to-tattoos-eleanor-medhursts-unsuitable-traces-a-hidden-history-of-lesbian-fashion-244154|title=From tuxedos to tattoos, Eleanor Medhurst's Unsuitable traces a hidden history of lesbian fashion|work=The Conversation|first=Lorinda|last=Cramer|date=8 January 2025|accessdate=12 August 2025}}</ref> Medhurst described lesbian fashion history as a "patchwork of examples".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://universitytimes.ie/2024/11/fashioning-identity-how-eleanor-medhurst-has-awakened-the-power-of-style-in-lesbian-history/|title=Fashioning Identity: How Eleanor Medhurst Has Awakened the Power of Style in Lesbian History|work=University Times|first=Clara|last=Potts|date=4 November 2024|accessdate=12 August 2025}}</ref> In 2025 ''Unsuitable'' was longlisted for the Bread and Roses Award,<ref>{{Cite web |last=housmans |date=14 June 2025 |title=Bread and Roses Prize 2025 – Longlist announced! |url=https://breadandrosesprize.wordpress.com/2025/06/14/bread-and-roses-prize-2025-longlist-announced/ |url-status=live |access-date=4 November 2025 |website=Bread and Roses Prize}}</ref> as well as for the Polari Prize for LGBTQ+ writers in the First Book category.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://publishingperspectives.com/2025/08/londons-polari-prizes-release-their-2025-longlists/|title=London's Polari Prizes Release Their 2025 Longlists|work=Publishing Perspectives|first=Porter|last=Anderson|date=6 August 2025|accessdate=9 August 2025}}</ref> Medhurst was one of several authors to withdraw her book from the Polari Prize to protest the inclusion of John Boyne over his anti-transgender views.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.attitude.co.uk/news/polari-prize-paused-mass-withdrawals-anti-trans-author-491296/|title= Polari Prize paused after mass withdrawals over inclusion of anti-trans author, John Boyne|work=Attitude|first=Jamie|last=Windust|date=19 August 2025|accessdate=19 August 2025}}</ref>
==Bibliography== * ''Unsuitable: A History of Lesbian Fashion'' (2024)
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:medhurst, eleanor}} Category:Living people Category:1997 births Category:Alumni of the University of Brighton Category:British LGBTQ historians Category:English lesbian writers Category:Fashion historians Category:Writers from Brighton