V&A to Showcase Italian Fashion 1945-2014

[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Victoria and Albert Museum is to showcase Italian Fashion from 1945 to 2014 in a special exhibition from 5 April – 22 July next year. The Glamour of Italian Fashion will be sponsored by Italian fashion house Bulgari, and will feature around 90 ensembles and accessories from the latter half of the 20th century up to the present day. Jewels that once belonged to Elizabeth Taylor will be on show, as will items from Pucci, Valentino, Gucci, Missoni, Prada, and many other designers.

The V&A has described the exhibition as a “…glamorous, comprehensive look at Italian Fashion from the end of the Second World War to the present day. The story is explored through the key individuals and organisations that have contributed to its reputation for quality and style. It includes both womens and menswear to highlight the exceptional quality of techniques, materials and expertise for which Italy has become renowned.”

The Victoria and Albert Museum has become known worldwide not only for its extensive permanent collection of costumes, jewellery, and hundreds of other fabulous objects, for also for its skilfully curated comprehensive special exhibitions. In 2012, visitors to the museum had the opportunity to marvel at an original pair of ruby slippers worn by Judy Garland in The Wizard of Oz, which were visiting the UK as part of the V&A’s Hollywood Costume exhibition.

This year, the museum outdid itself with a David Bowie retrospective, featuring examples of his handwritten lyrics and his original stage costumes. On at the Museum at the moment is Pearls, an examination of the history of the jewels from the Roman Empire to the present.

Tickets for The Glamour of Italian Fashion 1945-2014 are already available to book via the V&A website.