V&A Acquisition
15 May 2019
The V&A have acquired a selection of pieces from British Fashion Designer Phoebe English’s (Lyttelton 04) synonymous fashion label. The V&A's Fashion and Textile collection now has complete looks from both the AW15 and SS16 collections along with their accompanying marionettes. The puppets were created to sit alongside their counterpart models during a retrospective show for the museum's Fashion in Motion series in October 2016.
Details on each collection are outlined below:
Autumn Winter 2015 'Trapped Glitter Look'
This look is made from multiple oversized sheer garments, layered up over one another to create a chaotic and dishevelled appearance. Each individual garment holds small amounts of glitter which has been poured into the garment during the making process and is now sewn and trapped inside the inner layers. The glitter falls and drops to fill each hemline, yoke and pocket and appears as a glittering weight at the bottom of each garment. This collection was originally shown as a presentation at Somerset House, where the models moved in and out of the audience, sparkling subtly in the bright show lights. Photograph given above
Spring Summer 2016 'Star-Pleat Dress'
This look is made up of a criss-crossing harness, which weaves itself across the top of the body and extends falling into bundles of pleated linen. The thick and wide pleated panels of the skirt fall about in differing lengths. The idea was to visually 'trap' the wearer in the garment by constructing a star harness around the whole body. This collection, with its medical overtones, was originally shown in a presentation at the Royal College of Surgeons
.
Marionettes
The marionettes acquired are two out of thirty six puppets which were hand made by artist and puppet maker Judith Hope and the Phoebe English studio to showcase their 6 year archive at the Fashion in Motion show. Each one interacted with a model wearing an identical outfit.
You can browse Phoebe’s pieces or book to see them in person via the V&A website. Click here.