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Theatre & Performance
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Costume
Our Theatre and Performance collections include over 3,500 stage costumes and accessories dating from the mid-18th century to today. From complete outfits to individual headdresses, they are a tribute to the creativity and skills of designers and costume makers working in every kind of performance: drama, opera, dance, musicals, pantomime, rock and pop, music hall, film, cabaret and circus.
Collection highlights
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Shall We Dance, film costume worn by Fred Astaire, made by Anderson & Sheppard Ltd, 1936, UK -
Music-hall costume worn by May Moore Duprez, about 1910, England -
Costume for 'Prince's Mother' in Swan Lake designed by Alexandre Golovine for the Bolshoi, Moscow, 1901 -
Headdress, theatre costume worn by Ram Gopal, maker unknown, mid-20th century, UK -
Costume for The Chinese Conjurer in Massine's ballet 'Parade', designed by Pablo Picasso, 1917 -
Theatre costume from 'The Lion King', designed by Julie Taymor, 1994, US -
Brexit Dress, pantomime costume, designed by Lotte Collett, 2016, UK -
Lady in the Dark, film costume, designed by Edith Head, 1944, Hollywood, US -
Hat worn by Idina Menzel as Elphaba in the original 2003 New York production of Wicked, by Rodney Gordon, 2003, New York, US -
Dame Edna's Breakfast Dress, costume, designed by Stephen Adnitt, 1997, London, England -
Jumpsuit worn by Mick Jagger, costume, designed by Ossie Clark, 1972, Great Britain -
Rear view, 'Bicycle John', rock and pop costume worn by Sir Elton John, designed by Bill Whitten, about 1974, UK -
Design for the costume of Le Buffoon in the ballet 'Chout', by Mikhail Larionov, 1915, Lausanne, Switzerland -
Costume design for 'Le Coq d'Or', by Natalia Goncharova, about 1914 -
Black satin floral patterned shoes worn by Prince, costume, about 1994, USA -
Theatre costume, designed by Philip Prowse, made by Bonn & Mackenzie, 1981, London, England -
Film prop and costume from 'The Bride of Frankenstein', designed by Vera West for Universal Pictures, 1935, US
Features
Conserving a clown costume
Conserving a clown costume
See the processes involved in conserving a sequinned clown costume
Costume design: SIX the Musical – Catherine of Aragon
Costume design: SIX the Musical – Catherine of Aragon
Discover the secrets behind the costume
Léon Bakst – design for the ballet
Léon Bakst – design for the ballet
Discover Léon Bakst's revolutionary costume designs for the legendary Ballets Russes
Shoes formerly worn by Prince
Shoes formerly worn by Prince
Shoes worn by the best-selling musical artist Prince have been acquired for the V&A's National Collection of Performing Arts
Costume conservation: My Fair Lady
Costume conservation: My Fair Lady
From rags to riches, follow the transformation of an iconic piece of musical theatre history
ASMR at the museum
ASMR at the museum
Get closer to our objects than ever before
The story of The Supremes
The story of The Supremes
Mary Wilson, co-founder of The Supremes, talks about her extraordinary career and the heyday of Motown
Designing Hollywood costume
Designing Hollywood costume
Delve into Hollywood's extraordinary legacy of costume design
Gender, performance and transformation: Sonja Harms
Gender, performance and transformation: Sonja Harms
Hear how costume maker Sonja Harms crafts alternative identities through clothing
Conserving a ballet tutu
Conserving a ballet tutu
Watch as Belinda Wright's tutu is humidified
Handling Ian McKellen's Shakespeare costume
Handling Ian McKellen's Shakespeare costume
Find out about the importance of handling theatre costumes with care
Conserving an Adzido Pan African Dance Costume
Conserving an Adzido Pan African Dance Costume
See how these raffia leg wraps were conserved
Costume for Salome, performed by the Ballets Russes
Costume for Salome, performed by the Ballets Russes
Take a closer look at the risqué costume designed for Tamara Karsavina in her role as Salome, performed by the Ballet Russes in 1913
Conserving Vivien Leigh's Cleopatra Cloak
Conserving Vivien Leigh's Cleopatra Cloak
Step behind the scenes and experience the conservation process up close
Costume design: Moulin Rouge! The Musical – Satine's Sparkling Diamond costume
Costume design: Moulin Rouge! The Musical – Satine's Sparkling Diamond costume
Go behind the scenes to see how Satine's dazzling costume was designed
Whitney Houston's dress for the 1994 Grammy Awards
Whitney Houston's dress for the 1994 Grammy Awards
Take a close-up look at the glittering dress that was worn by Whitney Houston at the Grammy Awards in 1994
Dua Lipa's glimmering Future Nostalgia catsuit
Dua Lipa's glimmering Future Nostalgia catsuit
Take a close-up look at the costume worn by the star
Musical theatre costume design: Everybody's Talking About Jamie
Musical theatre costume design: Everybody's Talking About Jamie
How do you create a character through costume?
Header image:
Costume for The Chinese Conjurer in Massine's ballet 'Parade', designed by Pablo Picasso, 1917