The first ever exhibition in Britain of a wardrobe of garments collected by a cross-dresser is to open later this month at one of Britain's leading national art galleries, the Walker in Liverpool.

Costume collector Peter Farrer, who will be 90 next year, has been dressing in women's clothes since the age of 14.

A selection of his clothes will be on show at the Walker, recognized as one of the leading galleries in Europe, as part of a Homotopia festival. It will open at the gallery on Oct. 24 and run until February 2017.

Pauline Rushton, Curator of Costumes and Textiles at National Museums Liverpool, said: "Peter's vast costume collection contains some truly wonderful pieces. His life-long passion for taffeta is reflected in a fabulous range of evening dresses from the 1930s to the 1980s. We're thrilled to be able to showcase a selection of these outfits here at the Gallery.

"In many ways, Peter's motivation for collecting vintage clothing was two-fold. While he took enjoyment from wearing the larger garments in private, he also held a great appreciation for the design, fabrics and decoration of the pieces."

Rushton described the exhibition as the first ever in Britain to display a wardrobe belonging to a single cross-dresser.

Born in Surrey in 1926, Farrer has lived in Liverpool for many years. He has been married twice and has a son. Peter's fascination with women's clothing started at an early age and he began cross-dressing from the age of 14.

Describing his experience of cross-dressing, Farrar said: "Dressing in a taffeta frock did not make me want to be a girl, but it certainly made me understand how much pleasure girls and women get from their party frocks, and intensified my interest in fashion and in the history of costume."

Farrer's father was a schoolmaster and clergyman and the family lived in a number of different locations while Peter was growing up. After leaving school, Farrer served in the army for three years before studying at the University of Oxford. Upon graduation, he joined the civil service as a tax inspector, a job he held throughout his working life.

During the early years of his collecting, Farrer ordered women's clothing and underwear by mail order. He also shopped in department stores, where he felt no pressure to explain that the garments were for him.

In 2000, Farrer began to purchase taffeta dresses, skirts and blouses from the Brighton-based clothing company, Kentucky Woman. Founded by Sandi Hall in 1990, the company specialised in making bespoke garments in period styles, often for members of the transgender and cross-dressing communities.

Sandi Hall said: "I started getting discreet enquiries from male clients for made-to-measure dresses, frocks, skirts, period costumes and even ball gowns. I had a small private studio, which was invaluable as I could see these clients on a confidential basis. This was a period in time when transgender people lacked the freedom they enjoy today."

Farrer was one of Sandi's early customers and she helped to create dresses for him that were made in his size and to his particular taste. He selected the colours and fabrics and collaborated with Sandi on the designs. Many of these garments feature in the display.

Farrer's wardrobe will stand alongside some of the Walker's iconic paintings, including renaissance masterpieces, Tudor portraits and one of the best collections of Victorian and Pre-Raphaelite art in Britain.

The exhibition, Transformation: One Man's Cross-dressing Wardrobe, is free to enter. The Walker Art Gallery is part of state-owned National Museums Liverpool.

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