Join Senior Curator Sonnet Stanfill as she examines Schiaparelli's uncanny evening dress, superimposed with the outline of skeletal bones. Get closer than ever before and see how padding, zips, and quilting have been used to construct such an elegant yet surreal garment.
Join dressmaking expert and V&A volunteer, Sue Clark, as she examines one of the most iconic ensembles in post-war fashion, Christian Dior's 'Bar' suit. How was the suit constructed? And why was it hailed as 'the New Look'?
A selection of DVD's on our shelves.
It's often said that couturier Cristobal Balenciaga didn't use corsetry to create his dramatic, sculptural garments. In order to find out more about how his incredible designs were constructed, we worked with X-ray artist Nick Veasey to see beneath the surface of several iconic dresses and hats. Both beautiful and forensic, the ghostly X-ray images reveal fascinating details not visible to the naked eye – including boning, hoops and dress weights which determine the exact fall of the fabric. Two of the X-rays also reveal dress pins which were accidentally left inside the hems by their original makers.
Interactive, Smart and Modern Textiles (42 min.) 2012
Wearable electronics, textiles that generate power and smart and modern materials like Kevlar, Nomex and D30 are all covered in this resource that looks at their characteristics, functions and applications. Case studies include: materials used by stuntmen and ballerinas, a handbag that charges your phone, piezo-electric textiles and garments that sense and react to changes in your body and the environment.
Recycled and Sustainable Textiles (36 min.)
This resource shows how textile designers are meeting the challenge from government and consumers to meet the 6R's. Case studies include: Shoes made from old tyres, bags made from recycled airline seats and high fashion tailoring created from second hand shop finds.
Ethical Textiles (32 min) 2011
Filmed in Bangladesh, one of the world's largest textile manufacturers, this resource explores the social cost of our cheap textiles. With footage filmed inside a number of Bangladeshi textile factories, it explores the issues of sweatshop labour, poor working conditions, a fair wage and the right to unionise and asks who is responsible? It then compares the social impacts of this mass-scale textiles production with the benefits brought to a small rural community in Bangladesh by a fair trade textile initiative.
Textiles: Eco Design (32 min.) 2011
As lead designers for Finisterre, Tom and Debbie are on a mission - to create the most eco-friendly surf-wear brand in the world. From their HQ in Cornwall to fabric suppliers in Japan and manufacturers in Portugal, we follow the pair as they explain how they reduce the environmental and ethical impact of their clothes by considering the use of materials and energy throughout their design, manufacture,
transportation and use. We see how they source and develop eco-friendly technical materials - from recycled polyester to organic wool and cotton; we follow Tom on a series of environmental factory audits in Portugal and we find out how Finisterre work with customers to reduce the carbon footprint of products throughout their life-cycle.
Textiles (19 min.) 2010
The aim of this program is to introduce a variety of textile materials used by designers when making their products. The program describes the characteristics and properties of fibres, fabrics and yarns and how designers use this information to help them make decisions regarding the most appropriate and suitable materials for an end product. Students should develop an understanding of the classification of fibres, fabrics and yarns and how designers take a number of factors into consideration when choosing suitable materials.
Design: All About Textiles (15 min.) 2010
Today there are many different types of textiles that are available to us, each with their different properties, strengths and range of uses. Getting to know their properties is vital for any student of textiles today. In this program interior designer Brandi Hagen showcases textile samples and explains different types of natural and synthetic fibers, fabric construction and surface designs. In this program we examine the properties of natural fibres such as cotton, flax, jute, sisal and bamboo; synthetic fibres such as nylon, polyester, rayon, acrylic and microfibers, and animal fibres such as wool and silk. We also look at fabric construction and surface designs.
Yarn Construction and Specialist Yarns (21 min.) 2009
The second program in the Talking Textiles series outlines yarn production and the properties of different woven and knitted fabrics. A range of different spinning and yarn production techniques are shown from drop spindle and spinning wheels to slub, boucle and chenille methods.
Natural Fibres (25 min.) 2009
The first program in the Talking Textiles series introduces students to fibres and how we classify them as natural or man-made, before further categorising the former as animal, vegetable or mineral. A range of methods and preparation techniques are discussed for a number of fibres.
Introducing Textiles (25 min.) 2003
This program introduces students to fibres, fabrics and textiles. A brief historical overview is followed by a look at various processes and also the most recent developments.