Textiles · V&A

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The V&A holds the national collection of textiles and fashion, which includes more than 75,000 individual objects or sets of objects that span a period of more than 5,000 years, from Predynastic Egypt to the present day.

Almost all textile techniques are represented in our collections, including woven, printed and embroidered textiles, lace, tapestries and carpets. Among the particularly rich areas are early woven silks from the Near East, European and Chinese tapestries, English medieval embroidery (opus anglicanum), Safavid carpets, Indian textiles, and Arts and Crafts textiles.

Explore the Collections

Kimono

Discover the rich symbolism in traditional Japanese dress

Post-war textiles

Chart the progression of post-war textile design, from wartime utility to atomic-era patterns, abstract art, psychedelia and nostalgic florals

Indian textiles

India's handmade textiles are embedded in every aspect of its identity.

Althea McNish – an introduction

Discover how Althea McNish's tropical textile designs changed the character of British Modernism

Lucienne Day – an introduction

Of all the talented women textile designers of post-war Britain, Lucienne Day's influence is the most far-reaching

Àdìrẹ – 'tied and dyed' indigo textiles

Discover a hugely popular African textile tradition

Traditional Mexican dress

Discover the flamboyant styles of indigenous Mexican dress favoured by Frida Kahlo

The Devonshire Hunting Tapestries

Four large and beautifully designed tapestries depicting the 15th century hunt of boars, bears, swans, otters, deer and falconry

The making of medieval embroidery

See the traditional embroidery techniques used to create masterpieces of opus anglicanum

The conservation of the Bullerswood Carpet

Find out how we look after the enormous, hand-knotted Bullerswood Carpet, designed by William Morris

Sew your own: Mexican-style huipil

Sew your own colourful version of the traditional Mexican tunic worn by Frida Kahlo

Linen – the original sustainable material

Used by Ancient Egyptians as an expression of class and still popular today, linen is the original sustainable fabric. Find out how it's made

An A–Z of Opus Anglicanum

Do you know your cope from your chasuble, your split stitch from your satin stitch?

James Merry on Opus Anglicanum

Contemporary embroidery artist James Merry takes a closer look at surviving masterpieces of English medieval embroidery

Conservation of an Indian jama

Find out how our conservation team have repaired this intricately embellished piece

Golden spider silk

Discover how the world's largest pieces of spider silk cloth were made

Design and make a talking textile

Learn about some of Africa's 'talking textiles' and have a go at making your own!

In search of forgotten colours – Sachio Yoshioka and the art of natural dyeing

Step inside the dye workshop

Cloth of a continent: Africa Fashion

Discover more about African cloth types through our collections

Costume conservation: My Fair Lady

From rags to riches, follow the transformation of an iconic piece of musical theatre history