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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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
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X-raying Balenciaga
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Fashioned from the animal kingdom
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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
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A confirmed Anglophile, Christian Dior associated his many visits to Britain with "a sensation of happiness and great personal freedom"
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Lolita fashion: Japanese street style
Sweet, punk or gothic?
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Get creative with our free downloadable sewing pattern!
20 years of Fashion in Motion
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Madeleine Vionnet – an introduction
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'Silver and Gold' by Norman Hartnell
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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
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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
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"One of the most important outfits in a man's wardrobe is a tracksuit"
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Family, photography, memories: Africa Fashion
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Tortoiseshell combs from Jamaica
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Nigeria's first fashion designer: Shade Thomas-Fahm
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Nisha Kanabar: Industrie Africa
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