The Special Collection contains a number of rare, unusual or specialist items, including some materials that can be used for primary source study, including:
- Fashion forecasting materials: current and past issues of Peclers: Women's Fashion, Inspirations and Colors, Peclers Beauty and Well-Being. The View and it's past publications: Texitura, Textile View, View 2, and Promostyls.
- The Fashion and Lifestyle Journals Archive - Dating from c. 1900 including Vogue (US and British), Harper's Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Nova and Queen. This archive includes original Habitat catalogues and decorative publications from the 1960's.
- The Artist's Books Collection - a collection of artist's books selected by the University's Illustration staff, often limited editions and in experimental or alternative formats.
- The Leather Collection.
