Fleeced: Unraveling the History of Wool and War

Join authors Madelyn Shaw and Trish FitzSimons for an engaging presentation about their forthcoming book, Fleeced: Unraveling the History of Wool and War.

Wool may conjure images of warmth and comfort, but its history is anything but soft. Fleeced delves into the high-stakes world of wool during wartime—where military demand fuelled global intrigue, fierce negotiations, and economic anxieties. From the 19th-century rise of industrial wool production and the boom of Southern Hemisphere sheep farming to the massive armies of the 20th century, this book unravels wool’s pivotal role in global conflicts. As nations fought to secure their wool supplies, they also raced to develop alternatives—paving the way for the dominance of synthetic fibres after World War II.

A decade in the making, Fleeced is the result of meticulous research by co-authors Madelyn Shaw and Trish FitzSimons. Don’t miss this opportunity to discover the fascinating, and often unexpected, connections between wool, war, and fashion history.

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About the Authors

Trish FitzSimons is adjunct professor at the Griffith Film School, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia. She is a documentary filmmaker and exhibition curator with a passion for social and cultural history. Her intellectual and creative interests had not included textile history prior to this shared research project with Madelyn. Letters written by her grandfather 1904 -07 to her great grandparents in Melbourne and associated documents were one impetus to this book. Interview has been a defining component of her practice for the last 40 years, in documentary films, a book and articles, and exhibitions.

Madelyn Shaw is a curator and author specialising in the exploration of American culture and history, and its international connections, through textiles and dress. She has held curatorial and administrative positions at the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution; the Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design; New Bedford Whaling Museum; The Textile Museum, Washington DC; and the Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, New York City. She has curated more than 50 exhibitions and published widely on topics related to the development of the American textile and fashion industries, the China Trade, Slave Cloth, and Aviation clothing and popular culture.