Bags (new edition)
Only 5 available
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An impeccably researched and beautifully produced concise history of bags through the ages, with examples drawn from the Victoria and Albert Museum's remarkable collection.
From the hand-stitched embroidered purses of the 16th century, to the ‘make-do-and-mend’ bags of the war years and the rise of the ‘It’ bag in the 2000s, bags reflect the needs and desires of their users, as well as the changing attitudes to fashion. Focusing on the V&A’s world-famous collection, Bags tells the story of the bag from the earliest leather pouches through to today’s covetable, luxury pieces.
Author/Artist/Designer
Claire WilcoxPages
160
Dimensions
22.7 x 15.7cm (8.9 x 6in)
ISBN
9780500298022
Colour
Blue
Product code
170001
Book Format
Softback
Delivery
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• Thursday 18 December for standard UK orders
• Friday 5 December for Custom Prints or International orders
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We're working to return to our usual 3-6 asap.
Custom prints
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Returns
An extended returns window is granted for purchases over the Christmas period. Orders placed from Saturday 1 November 2025 can be returned until Tuesday 20 January 2026, subject to our usual eligibility criteria.
We hope you are happy with your V&A Shop purchase. However, if you are not, most items are eligible for a full refund, subject to the criteria below. Refunds are offered for items in an unused, unopened condition, and with original packaging – with the following exceptions. This does not affect your statutory rights.
The following items are excluded from our returns policy and cannot be refunded unless faulty, damaged, or not as described:
- Custom prints and other items made to your specification or personalised;
- Items that have been sealed for hygiene reasons, where the seal has been broken, such as beauty products, soap, pierced earrings, hosiery, socks, sunglasses and face coverings;
- Perishable or edible items such as flowers or food;
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For full details, visit our Delivery & Returns page.

Claire Wilcox
Claire Wilcox is Senior Curator of Fashion at the V&A and Professor in Fashion Curation at University of the Arts London. She curated the exhibitions Vivienne Westwood (V&A 2004), and The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947–1957 (V&A 2007), and also edited the accompanying catalogues.







