Rapid Response Collecting

Rapid Response Collecting was introduced in 2014 as a new type of collecting activity at the V&A. Contemporary objects are acquired in response to major moments in recent history that touch the world of design and manufacturing. Many of the objects have been newsworthy either because they advance what design can do, or because they reveal truths about how we live.

Ranging from Christian Louboutin shoes in five shades of 'nude', a 3D-printed titanium handlebar used by Bradley Wiggins to set cycling's Hour Record, to a knitted Pussy Hat worn at the 2017 Women's March in Washington DC, the day after Donald Trump's inauguration; each new acquisition raises a different question about economic, political and social change, globalisation, technology and the law.

Search “Rapid Response Collecting” in Explore the Collections

Features

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Rapid Response Collecting: an introduction

Find out more about Rapid Response Collecting

  1. Read

    'I Still Believe in Our City' public art campaign

    Discover how a public art campaign exemplifies voicing dissent through a bold celebration
  2. Read

    The Pussyhat

    Find out how a knitted pink hat became a global symbol of female solidarity
  3. Read

    The Liberator – the world's first 3D printed handgun

    "It transforms the way we think about new manufacturing technologies and the unregulated sharing of designs online".

Collection highlights

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  1. 3D-printed logotype woodblock
    3D-printed Extinction Rebellion logotype woodblock
    V&A East Museum
    On display
  2. leaflet
    Vote Leave 'Help protect your local hospital’, leaflet, designed and printed by The Printing Shed, 2016, Atherstone, England
    V&A South Kensington
    View by appointment
  3. pussy Power Hat
    Knitted 'Pussy Power hat', designed by Krista Suh and Jayna Zweiman, 2017, Los Angeles, United States
    V&A South Kensington
    Not on display
  4. soft Toy
    Lufsig, soft toy, designed by Silke Leffler, made for IKEA Limited, 2013, Sweden
    V&A South Kensington
    Not on display
  5. trousers
    Trousers, made for Primark Stores Limited, 2013 – 14, Bangladesh
    V&A South Kensington
    Not on display
  6. lego set
    The Research Institute, Lego set, designed by Ellen Kooijman, 2015, Denmark
    V&A South Kensington
    Not on display
  7. shoes
    Fifi, shoes, designed by Christian Louboutin, 2014, Paris, France
    V&A South Kensington
    Not on display
  8. lift cable
    UltraRope, lift cable, manufactured by KONE Corporation, 2014, Espoo, Finland
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  9. handlebar
    Bolide HR handlebar, designed by Pinarello Lab, 2015, Sheffield, England
    Young V&A
    On display
  10. doll
    Hello Barbie, doll, designed by Mattel, Inc, by ToyTalk Inc, 2015, China
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  11. thermostat
    Learning Thermostat, designed by Nest Labs, 2014, California, US
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  12. drone
    Zano, drone, designed by Torquing Group, 2015, Wales
    V&A South Kensington
    Not on display
  13. wearable terminal
    WT41N0, wearable terminal, designed by Motorola Solutions, 2013, Long Island, US
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  14. personal Genetic testing kit
    Personal Genome Service - v4 Ancestory Edition, personal genetic testing kit, manufactured by DNA Genotel Inc. made for 23andme, 2014, Ottawa, Canada
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  15. swimsuit
    Ahiida Modest-Fit Burqini, swimsuit, designed by Ahida Zanetti, 21st century, Australia
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  16. mobile application
    Flappy Bird, mobile application, by Dong Nguyen, by .GEARS Studios, 2014, Hanoi, Vietnam
    V&A East Museum
    View by appointment
  17. mobile telephone
    iPhone 6, mobile telephone, designed by Apple Inc. 2014, California, US
    V&A East Storehouse
    On display
  18. 3D printed hand gun
    The Liberator, 3D printed hand gun, designed by Defence Distributed, manufactured by Digits2Widgets, 2013, Texas, US
    V&A South Kensington
    Not on display
  19. Rectangular orange flag, with a black line through it
    Refugee flag, 2016, designed by Yara Said, commissioned by the Refugee Nation with the support of Amnesty International, Film Aid, Makers Unite and U-able. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London
  20. electronic cigarettes
    Vype Reload, electronic cigarettes, by CN Creative, 2014, China
    V&A South Kensington
    Not on display
  21. soft toy
    Mon Mon, toy, designed by 1 More Design, 2015, China
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  22. virtual Reality headset
    Oculus Rift, virtual reality headset, by Palmer Luckey, manufactured by Oculus VR, 2014, California, US
    V&A South Kensington
    Not on display
  23. t-shirt
    Corbyn t-shirt, designed by Bristol Street Wear, 2017, Bristol, England
    V&A South Kensington
    Not on display
  24. umbrella
    Umbrella Movement protest umbrella, 2014, Hong Kong
    V&A South Kensington
    Not on display
  25. false eyelashes
    Katy Perry false eyelashes, by Katy Perry, manufactured by Eylure, 2013, Indonesia
    V&A South Kensington
    Not on display
  26. stamps
    Tom of Finland stamps, by Itella Posti Oy, 2014, Finland
    V&A East Museum
    On display
  27. mobile telephones
    X-TIGI S18, mobile telephone, manufactured by X-TIGI
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  28. architectural Spikes
    Architectural spikes, manufactured by Kent Stainless Ltd, 2014, Wexford, Ireland
    V&A South Kensington
    On display
  29. game console controller
    Xbox adaptive controller, game console controller, by Microsoft, 2018
    V&A South Kensington
    Not on display
  30. wall tile
    Julie Tile for A House for Essex, designed by Grayson Perry and FAT Architecture, manufactured by Shaws of Darwen, 2015, UK
    V&A South Kensington
    Not on display
A gloved hand takes the lid off a ceramic jar
a gloves hand holds a Japanese netsuke
two people unpack a punk hat in a study centre

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Header image:
Background image: Mon Mon, soft toy, Dan Dan Man/1 more Design, 2015, China. Museum no. Prov.2091-2015. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London