The V&A Fashion Gallery is one of the museum’s largest and most-visited permanent gallery spaces that's dedicated to one topic — housing treasures from the most comprehensive collection of dress in the world. Spanning more than five centuries and featuring objects from 18th century Mantua gowns to the JW Anderson crocheted cardigan worn by Harry Styles in 2020 (below), the collection offers unrivalled insight into the history of fashion, and forms the basis of contemporary exhibitions such as 2023's Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto and this year's Marie Antoinette Style.
The space was last structurally redeveloped in 1962, and plans for refurbishment in 2020 were postponed due to the pandemic. Five years on, the museum has announced that the refurbishment is now back on with multi-year support from British fashion house Burberry. According to the museum, the space will shutter on May 4 and reopen as The Burberry Gallery in 2027.
In its new guise (described as 'spectacular and participatory'), the fashion Mecca will provide new ways for visitors to interact with the pieces from world-class collections. There will also be a wide-ranging programme of activities — onsite and online — designed to better bring to light the levels of craftsmanship and creativity involved.
The partnership ‘marks a milestone moment for British arts and culture,’ says Joshua Schulman, Chief Executive Officer of Burberry, uniting ‘two centuries-old cultural icons with a shared legacy of heritage and innovation (the V&A was founded in 1852, and Burberry in 1856) to celebrate the rich history of fashion’ and ‘inspire creative minds for generations to come.’
Burberry's Autumn/Winter 2025 show — at London's Tate Britain — was inspired by country homes.
Burberry has a long-standing tradition of supporting arts and culture, previously partnering with the Royal Academy for the Thomas Burberry Prize, and the British Pavilion for La Biennale di Venezia. It presented its Autumn/Winter 2025 runway collection at London's Tate Britain and its Spring/Summer 2025 collection at the National Theatre.
Whilst the gallery is closed, access to the collection is available via V&A East Storehouse, which opens on May 31, and online.
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