Lunchtime Lecture: Secrets of the Studio

Join Lauren Isles and Hannah Sutherland of the V&A’s Textile Conservation Department as they pick apart exhibition preparation at the seams. Experts in the conservation and display of historical costume and contemporary fashion, Lauren and Hannah will discuss the steps undertaken to examine garments, understand condition, repair damage, and provide a safe, secure (and fabulous!) display. After the talk, there will be a chance to ask questions and meet some of our studio best friends…the mannequins of course!

Lauren Isles is a Costume Mounter at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. She holds a BA in Costume Production and an MA in History and has previously worked in the theatre industry for 12 years before turning her unique skills and knowledge to the world of Costume Mounting. Over her 4 years at the V&A she has worked on many large-scale exhibitions, including Dior: Designer of Dreams, Mary Quant, Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser and Fashioning Masculinities.

Hannah Sutherland joined the V&A as a Textile Conservator in 2020. Prior to this appointment, she held positions at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and Historic Royal Palaces, London. Recent projects have included Fashioning Masculinities and Re:Imagining Musicals, as well as items for the upcoming Young V&A redisplay. Hannah’s favourite objects to work on are pieces of 18th-century fashion, but she does have a soft spot for the Devonshire Tapestries.

To see our full Summer 2023 Lunchtime Lecture Programme, click 'Download Programme' on the right of this screen.