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Fashion Collections and Curation
Professional development course
+44 (0)20 7942 2000
This online course provides a unique opportunity for cultural professionals to go behind the scenes, experience the inner workings of the V&A, and develop both practical and critical skills in fashion curation.
The V&A’s fashion collection is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Our fashion exhibitions are renowned for their innovation and broad appeal, attracting millions of visitors worldwide and setting a global standard in curatorial practice.
In collaboration with a diverse team of curators, exhibition makers, conservators, collections managers, and other industry experts, you will learn the principles of collections management and care, object-based storytelling, and audience engagement. The course also covers curatorial ethics and strategies for creating inclusive narratives that resonate with contemporary audiences.
You’ll explore how to use objects to convey historical, social, and aesthetic narratives, and understand the critical role fashion plays in reflecting cultural identity. Through case studies and project-based learning, you will gain hands-on experience in exhibition design, working with digital tools, and leveraging social media to connect with a global audience.
By the end of the course, you will have developed a strong foundation in both traditional and emerging curatorial practices, enabling you to shape fashion narratives that are both thought-provoking and accessible to a wide range of audiences.
Course Leader
Isabella Coraça
Isabella is the Stage One Course Leader for ‘Fashion Communication: Fashion History and Theory’ at Central Saint Martins. A fashion historian and curator, Isabella has worked at the British Museum, Historic Royal Palaces, the V&A and Museum of London.
Superb insights, access to people and information that we otherwise wouldn’t have had. Just brilliant and inspirational! Previous Professional Development course attendee
Course overview
Together with a range of curators, exhibition makers, conservators, collections managers and other experienced professionals, you will learn the principles of collections management and care, how to use objects to tell stories, and how to engage with communities and wide audiences through exhibitions, displays and social media. You will also partake on critical discussions about the role of the curator, expand our understandings of fashion in a pluriversal context, and consider the role of the museum in collecting, curating and communicating fashions today.
This course aims to provide you with a well-rounded understanding of:
This course aims to provide you with a well-rounded understanding of:
· The principles and practice of curatorship, including the role of the curator
· The life cycle of objects in the museum
· Collections management and care
· Engagement activities such as exhibitions, displays, and social media
V&A Academy Online. A learning environment you can trust.
V&A Academy Online courses are built using the latest Microsoft software. Tune in to expert lectures live, or catch up later on demand. Download handouts and presentations. Join the discussion in a secure, closed class environment, wherever you are.
Enrol now
Professional development course: Fashion Collections and Curation
29 January 2025 - 5 March 2025
£360.00
Need help enrolling? Talk to the admissions team:
+44 (0)20 7942 2000
Open 10.00 - 13.00, Monday to Sunday (closed 24-26 December)
