Throughout the 20th century cross-cultural and historical influences had a profound impact upon fashion design. The styles, designs and materials of other times and cultures became more accessible to designers as improved travel and communications enabled continents to be crossed with ease.
Interactive: Pink Velvet Evening Gown, by Worth, 1900
This silk velvet dress, trimmed with diamante, was worn by Princess Nicholas of Greece. Her grandson, the Duke of Kent, gave it to Sir Cecil Beaton, who was then collecting fashionable dress for his 1971 exhibition, Fashion: An Anthology.
Four Haute Couture Dresses by Madeleine Vionnet
These four evening dresses were designed by Madeleine Vionnet (1876-1975; active 1912-1939) and purchased by Lady Foley (circa 1888-1968) between 1929 and 1938. Minoru Foley's marriage to Baron Foley (1895-1927) made her part of British society. Madeleine Vionnet was one of Europe's greatest couturiers.
The Golden Age of Couture
The launch of Christian Dior's New Look in 1947 marked the beginning of a momentous decade in fashion history, one that Dior himself called the 'golden age'. Celebrating the end of war and the birth of a new era, it set a standard for dressmaking and high fashion that has rarely been surpassed. The exhibition 'The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947–1957', was on display at the V&A South Kensington from 22 September 2007–6 January 2008.
The Corset in Late 20th-Century Fashion
The corset in 20th century fashion has appeared and reappeared seemingly linked to the cyclical changing of female shapes. By the 1980s it had become an 'object d'art', no longer a symbol of women's oppression, the corset had become a symbol of sexual empowerment.
Spanning four centuries, the V&A’s 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. Plus a growing number of pieces from 21st-century designers.