Thumbnail of The corset in late 20th-century fashion

The corset in late 20th-century fashion

The corset in 20th century fashion has appeared and reappeared seemingly linked to the cyclical changing of female shapes. By the 1980s it had become an 'object d'art', no longer a symbol of women's oppression, the corset had become a symbol of sexual empowerment.

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Fashion Collection Services

The V&A can arrange bookings for people to see the fashion collection that are not on public display.

Thumbnail of Fashion & textiles introductory reading list

Fashion & textiles introductory reading list

Recommended introductory reading about fashion & textiles.

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Fashion in Motion: Iranian Night

The Iranian Night Fashion in Motion live catwalk event took place on 30 January 2004. The V&A and the Iran Heritage Foundation presented the works of contemporary Iranian fashion designers Massoud Ansari, Shirin Guild, Maryam Mahdavi, Shadi Parand and Laya Torkaman, from both inside and outside Iran in a special Fashion in Motion.

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Fashion Design

This activity gives students an opportunity to use the V&A’s fashion collections in the way that professional designers do. Paul Poiret and Vivienne Westwood are just two of the many designers who have used the V&A to get ideas for their designs. Students will design a garment based on an item in the V&A’s collections of European and non-European dress, and will produce either a garment that is stylistically similar, or a collage.

A gift in your will

You may not have thought of including a gift to a museum in your will, but the V&A is a charity and legacies form an important source of funding for our work. It is not just the great collectors and the wealthy who leave legacies to the V&A. Legacies of all sizes, large and small, make a real difference to what we can do and your support can help ensure that future generations enjoy the V&A as much as you have.

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400 Years of Fashion

400 Years of Fashion

The V&A's best-selling history of fashion book tells the story of fashionable dress through the ages.

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Event - Displaying Fashion

Wed 06 June 2012 13:00

LUNCHTIME LECTURE: Learn about the redisplay of the V&A permanent collection in the newly refurbished Fashion Gallery and new ways of displaying fashion in the 21st century with curator Claire Wilcox.

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