UK designer Jean Pallant finds lost coat after 40 years

Jean Pallant, a British fashion designer, experienced a poignant reunion with a long-lost orange coat she created in 1988, which was discovered in an Oxfam charity shop in Mill Hill, London. The coat, which had been missing for nearly 40 years, was found among a pile of fast-fashion items, and its return felt like reuniting with a child for Pallant. She expressed amazement at its pristine condition, noting that it looked and felt as new as when it was last seen. The coat's rediscovery was facilitated by Oxfam shop manager Marina Ikey-Botchway, who recognized its unique value immediately. After identifying the designer through the label, she reached out to Pallant, leading to this emotional reconnection. The coat was also featured in Oxfam’s Style for Change fashion show, highlighting its significance in the fashion world. Pallant, who was part of the 1960s cultural revolution alongside her husband, is currently working on restoring and curating a collection of her designs to donate to the V&A Museum in London. She reminisced about the loss of the coat and five other pieces nearly four decades ago, expressing a deep emotional connection to her creations. Among the missing items is a white jumpsuit and jacket with mink spots, which Pallant wore in a TV fashion show celebrating Britain’s entry into the common market in 1972. She expressed a strong desire to recover this piece, emphasizing the sentimental value of her lost designs.