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The Dress Detective: Behind the Seams
Online course
+44 (0)20 7942 2000
An article of clothing can reveal clues to historical information beyond written records. Become a dress detective as you learn how to gather and interpret this evidence, putting it to new uses in understanding history and culture.
Learn from our world-class experts wherever you are, whenever suits you: watch lectures live or view the recording later in your own time. You can experience the full breadth and depth of the V&A's collections with 10 hours of study over 5 weeks. Learn at your own pace: lecture recordings and study materials, lecture notes, copies of the presentations, and additional study materials are available in our secure Microsoft Teams environment for 5 weeks after the course ends, so you'll never miss a thing. And finally, join the conversation: share your perspective with your fellow students, and support each other in your further enquiries outside of class time.
For more details, see V&A Academy online questions · V&A
This course is suitable for participants aged 18 and over.
Learn from our world-class experts wherever you are, whenever suits you: watch lectures live or view the recording later in your own time. You can experience the full breadth and depth of the V&A's collections with 10 hours of study over 5 weeks. Learn at your own pace: lecture recordings and study materials, lecture notes, copies of the presentations, and additional study materials are available in our secure Microsoft Teams environment for 5 weeks after the course ends, so you'll never miss a thing. And finally, join the conversation: share your perspective with your fellow students, and support each other in your further enquiries outside of class time.
For more details, see V&A Academy online questions · V&A
This course is suitable for participants aged 18 and over.
Course Leader
Dr. Ingrid Mida
Dr. Ingrid Mida is an art and dress historian and the author of several books published by Bloomsbury including The New Dress Detective (forthcoming 2026) and Reading Fashion in Art (2020). Dr. Mida has lectured on object-based research, fashion and art, as well as on drawing and creativity at universities and museums in North America and Europe.
Totally fantastic course - really well-structured and -presented and excellent subject matter and presenters. Previous V&A Academy Online course attendee
Course overview
Clothes are some of the most intimate and compelling of all objects because of their close connection to the body. Whether held in a museum collection or stored in an attic, a dress, a kimono, a pair of shoes, or other garment holds information from the past that might not otherwise be available in the written record. With careful study, such objects might reveal narratives linked to their maker(s) or wearer(s), serve to illuminate aspects of history and culture, or provide inspiration for new creative works.
Knowing what to look for and how to interpret clues in the folds and seams of an article of clothing requires the skills of a dress detective, especially since there is a difference between looking and seeing. In this course, participants will learn and practice the Slow Approach to Seeing as well as come to appreciate the wide array of narratives embodied in clothing. Object case studies will feature objects such as a man's embroidered waistcoat from 1740 that conveys wealth and status and Yves Saint Laurent's Mondrian dress from 1965-66 that merges art and fashion. Guest lecturers will include several curators from the V&A including Jenny Lister and Cassie Davies-Strodder.
Membership Priority Booking will open at 10.00 GMT on Wednesday 4 February. General Booking will open at 10.00 GMT on Thursday 12 February 2026.
Our courses are built using the latest Microsoft software. Tune in to expert lectures live or catch up on demand. Join discussions and continue your learning with downloadable handouts and presentations. Find out more >>
Enrol now
Online course: The Dress Detective: Behind the Seams
28 May 2026 - 25 June 2026
£125.00
Call to book +44 (0)20 7942 2000
Need help enrolling? Talk to the admissions team:
+44 (0)20 7942 2000
Open 10.00 - 13.00, Monday to Sunday (closed 24-26 December)
