Liberty has expanded its famous Fabrics department by 140 per cent as it sees growing interest in sewing, design and other hands-on creative hobbies.

The expanded space, which opened on 20 July and recorded a record day for Liberty’s retail Fabrics department, has grown from 1,927 sq ft to 4,630 sq ft, bringing more than 2,500 luxury fabrics together in one space.

The retailer said the new department is designed to be a destination for both shopping and creative inspiration, offering customers access to Liberty prints, new fabric designs and specialist advice.

The collection includes Liberty’s Tana Lawn Cotton, an expanded Silk Atelier and a wider range of dressmaking fabrics such as georgette, chiffon and lurex.

Customers can also book private consultations with Liberty’s fabric specialists, with the sessions to offer advice on topics, from choosing colours and prints to selecting fabrics and bespoke projects.

Liberty said the expansion reflects a growing interest in making and creating unique products, as shoppers look for more personal and individual alternatives to mass-produced goods.

The new space also features large art installations by Liberty’s Artist in Residence, creative director and stylist Miranda Sinclair, and is to support new designers through a partnership with the Graduate Fashion Foundation.

Liberty plans to launch workshops and creative events later this year, aimed at both experienced makers and people trying sewing and dressmaking for the first time.

Liberty managing director of retail Lydia King said customers were increasingly returning to making and looking for craftsmanship and creativity.

She said: “Making has become a modern expression of luxury because it offers something increasingly rare: originality.”

“From a bespoke dress to a handcrafted quilt, making has become a modern expression of luxury because it offers something increasingly rare: originality.

“As one of Liberty’s founding categories, Fabrics has always been central to our identity, and this investment allows us to build on that heritage while creating a destination unlike anything else in Central London.

She added: “We hope to have created a space designed to inspire the next generation of makers, designers and creatives.”