In 1850s Britain, the concepts of time, speed and distance had been reimagined, and technologies like the steamboat and train had established global connections like never before. At the centre of this brave new world, James Johnston and his family travelled from Scotland to London by train to attend the Great Exhibition of 1851. James was met by a myriad of textile colours and inventions as he entered 10 miles of vast, glass corridors at the Crystal Palace. His decade-long experimentation with rare global fibres was ultimately recognised with a medal for his 'Superb Vicuna Shawls'.