Karrimor began life back in 1946 when Charlie and Mary Parsons’ started making saddle bags for bicycles at a place called Rawtenstall in Lancashire. Fast forward a decade or so and Karrimor had become the UKs leading rucksack manufacturer, headed up by Charlie and Mary’s son, Mike, ably assisted by his sister Jennifer.

Like many companies from that era Karrimor expanded into the footwear and clothing market to compliment the vast array of rucksacks on offer – and we have a fine example of a Karrimor Elite Fleece here in the collection. Dating from the early 1990s it was part of the high tech ‘Elite’ range of apparel made from Polartec, the ‘in’ fabric at the time.

This particular one once belonged to Kathy Tighe, pictured wearing it above, who has now retired it and donated it to the collection.