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Ballgowns: British Glamour Since 1950' exhibition ran from May 2012 to January 2013 at the Victoria and Albert Museum Kensington. The dresses on display showcased the new Fashion Galleries.
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A cold December day in London was the perfect opportunity to arrive at the Victoria and Albert Museum in Kensington and enjoy the glamor of yesteryear. Palatial proportions of the building opened by Queen Victoria in 1858 greet the visitor. Elegant white mannequins wore gowns in a variety of colours and fabrics. Many light coloured gowns delighted the viewer with a good selection of candy pink vintage pieces on show. Jewel coloured and black were also favorites for the most formal occasions. |
A sumptuous interior with elaborate mouldings, stained glass and huge sparkling chandeliers and this is just the cafe! |
| We were reminded of Disney's Cinderella books as the ballgown collection on show included very traditional styles of dresses which in general shape have not changed a lot since the 19th century. Boned bodices and full skirts with many layers of silk and taffeta, many petticoats and lots of lace, all to create the desired tall and small waisted look for women. |
What captivated us the most was the exquisite craftsmanship in both the construction and embellishment of the dresses on display. |
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The beading and embroidery on several of the dresses must have taken hundreds of hours create by hand. The decoration was key to dating the fashions and here we can see how more modern styles have evolved. The backdrop design for the exhibition space was very effective. Whilst ensuring the ballgowns took center stage, the white and grey display cases featured ornate decorative panels and furniture that appropriately are reminiscent of a ballroom. |
Many of the UK's leading designers were featured including Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen, Catherine Walker and Zandra Rhodes to name but a few. |
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The interior room sets also followed the greyscale colour scheme and the decorations were applied in stylised designs. Old fashioned printed interior decoration books came to mind. These decorative stages worked very well in setting the scene without detracting from the main fashion focus. Apart from the most formal of society events traditional ballgowns remain a thing of past generations for most women. However the desire to dress up for an important occasion continues. Catwalk fashion today inspires the 'ready to wear' designs on the high street. |
These dresses are special not just because of their esteemed designer labels but because of the exquisite and intricate hand finished decoration that transports them to the world of royalty and fairy tales. |
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Today romantic ballgowns of the 19th and 20th centuries can definitely inspire ladies eveningwear for 21st century special events and celebrations. However often just details or sections of vintage ballgowns are emmulated by contemporary designers. Modern fabrics, styles and techniques are now available. This enables women today to demand comfort and simplicity, as well as glamorous and luxurious formal attire. (See our link for official photographs from the exhibition on the VandA website.) |
We think the new space is excellent and look forward to the next exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum Fashion Gallery. |