The 'golden age' of couture
The overnight success of Dior's couture house, launched in 1947 post-war austerity, saw a decade of high-end fashion known as the 'golden age'
Fashion
Spanning five centuries, our Fashion collection is the largest and most comprehensive collection of dress in the world. Key items in the collection include rare 17th century gowns, 18th century ‘mantua’ dresses, 1930s eveningwear, 1960s daywear and post-war couture.
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The collection is particularly strong from the 18th century onwards, containing mainly European fashion and accessories for men and women, together with important items of 19th century dress for the elite in India, China and Japan. The collection also includes a wide range of accessories from across the world, including footwear and hats.
Collection highlights
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Hat, designed by Simone Mirman, about 1955, London, England -
Evening dress, designed by Cristóbal Balenciaga, 1954, Paris, France -
Man's suit, designed by Mr Fish, manufactured by Hexter, about 1968, London, England -
Pair of shoes, 1550 – 1070 BC, Egypt -
Mantua, 1755 – 60, England -
Plato's Atlantis, dress, designed by Alexander McQueen, 2010, London, England -
Man's ensemble, designed by Stella Jean, Spring/Summer 2014, Italy and Burkina Faso. Museum no. T.21:1 to 5-2014.
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BLITZ magazine and the tale of 22 denim jackets
Discover era-defining style magazine BLITZ and their designer denim jacket project
The future of fashion
As the fashion industry continues to plunder the earth's resources, innovators are striving to find alternative production processes
X-raying the Fashion collection
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The fashion show
Discover the origins of the catwalk show
The design process: interviews with Agent Provocateur, FiFi Chachnil and La Perla
From creation to catwalk - discover the design process of three leading fashion brands
X-raying Balenciaga
Discover the hidden interior structures of iconic garments by Cristóbal Balenciaga, revealed through beautiful X-rays
The 'Babydoll' slip by Carine Gilson
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Secrets of Balenciaga's construction
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How Arts and Crafts influenced fashion
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Fashioned from the animal kingdom
Working with colleagues at the Natural History Museum, London, we explore some of the materials used to create fashion that are drawn from the natural world
Fashion inspired by the natural world
Discover more about how nature has provided a rich source of inspiration for fashion over the centuries
Making an entrance – ocean liner style
The glamour of first-class travel is brought to life for the exhibition Ocean Liners: Speed and Style
Knitted eveningwear
Discover how knitted fabrics have created glamorous evening dresses through the 20th century and beyond
Pollution: the dark side of fashion
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Stephen Jones and Dior
Milliner, Stephen Jones, discusses working alongside Dior to create exquisite hats and headpieces to complement their designs
Meet Jean Dawnay, Dior's English rose
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BodyMap: shaping 1980s fashion
Discover how influential British fashion label BodyMap shaped the 1980s catwalk scene
Dior in Britain
A confirmed Anglophile, Christian Dior associated his many visits to Britain with "a sensation of happiness and great personal freedom"
Modelling for a legend – Svetlana Lloyd on Dior
Listen to 1950s Dior mannequin Svetlana Lloyd discussing working for the house
Lolita fashion: Japanese street style
Sweet, punk or gothic?
Sew your own: Mary Quant 'Georgie' dress
Get creative with our free downloadable sewing pattern!
20 years of Fashion in Motion
Fashion in Motion has brought free catwalk shows to the public for the past 20 years
Barbara Nessim: an artful life
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Madeleine Vionnet – an introduction
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Introducing Elsa Schiaparelli
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'Silver and Gold' by Norman Hartnell
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Making bags
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Yohji Yamamoto: Poet of Black
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Fashion design: Rahemur Rahman
Sustainable, ethical fashion, "for people who dream in colour"
A brief history of men's underwear
From ruffle-fronted shirts, to Y-fronts, jock-straps and Calvin Kleins, explore the hidden history of men's underwear
Inside the Fashioning Masculinities exhibition
Take a look inside our first major exhibition to celebrate the art of menswear
Fashion design: Edward Crutchley
Sumptuous and subversive fashions which disregard gender
Fashion design: Samuel Ross / A-COLD-WALL*
Clothing as "armour for the now", or architecture for the body
In the pink: colour in menswear
Discover the dazzling spectrum of colours in menswear throughout history
Fashion design: Priya Ahluwalia
"One of the most important outfits in a man's wardrobe is a tracksuit"
A life through clothes: Professor Lalage Bown, OBE
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Family, photography, memories: Africa Fashion
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'My Years and Seasons' by Pierre Balmain
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Tortoiseshell combs from Jamaica
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Nigeria's first fashion designer: Shade Thomas-Fahm
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Conserving an 18th-century portrait and waistcoat
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Nisha Kanabar: Industrie Africa
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Magician of the desert: Alphadi
Meet Alphadi – world renowned fashion designer drawing upon histories and cultures from across the continent
