FASHIONED FROM NATURE AT THE V&A
Words by Jessica Peace
This has got to be one of our favourite exhibitions of the year - it’s got frocks, politics and is environmentally woke. It’s at the Vicky and Al museum until the end of January so get yourself down there.
THE DEETS
The curators at the V&A have done a sterling job of mixing up fashiony stuff from the 1600’s to now with the stories of their production from field and ocean, to factory and shopping bag. Basically, it started off fairly innocently, then we got greedy and wrecked the seas, animal worlds and their habitats and now we’re trying to make it good again. The V&A have not been shy of including the human and environmental costs of our clobber from workhouses to oil spills, and stuffed birds on your barnet to plastic fibres in your darks wash.
A FEW THINGS WE STUMBLED ACROSS…
A DARK COTTON HISTORY
Anything made from cotton, started off from the fluffy cotton plant. The British industrialists of the 19th century had it shipped over from India and the USA leaving behind a trail of exploitation and slavery. Back in Blighty, 90% of the cotton mills were in Manchester creating miserable working conditions of their own and polluting the air and waterways.
DOING THE WORM
The most common process of making silk is a little bit rough… Your silk is made from moth cocoons, the poor pupa (moth babies) gets death by steam as it’s minding its own business snuggled in its cocoon bed. The cocoon is then steeped, unravelled and spun into purses, pants, pyjamas and the rest.
STICKIN’ IT TO THE FASHION MAN
Despite all that bad stuff happening in the 19th century it wasn’t until the 20th that the backlash really began in the mainstream. Since the 70’s fashion designers including Katharine Hamnett, Vivienne Westwood and Stella McCartney have been stickin’ it to the man and finding ethical and sustainable ways to make clothes. Salute!
MEAN JEANS
There is trouble on the jean front… Our blue thigh holders are wrecking water supplies as they take up so much of the wet stuff (literally tons per pair) to be made - and then to be washed, and the waste chemicals from their production have been pumped into our oceans for years. Wash less and buy ethical.
SEXY BOTANY
There’s loads of floral fashion here but we are MAD for the Christopher Kane jumper with the flower’s reproductive system slapped on the front. Kane said, ‘We live because of flowers and trees’. Damn right Kane!
HOW MUCH?
The show costs £12 - we think it’s bang for your buck, just make sure you’re well fed and watered before you go in, you can’t re-enter on the same ticket. (Concessions available)
HOW DO I GET THERE?
Jump off the tube at South Kensington, there’s an underpass that takes you right up to the museum.
WHEN’S IT OPEN?
Normally 10am - 5.45pm with ‘Friday lates’ til 10pm - check what stays open though on Friday lates, not all rooms do.