Bags: Inside Out
From rucksacks to despatch boxes, Birkin bags to Louis Vuitton luggage, Bags: Inside Out explored the style, function, design and craftsmanship of the ultimate accessory.
This exhibition is now closed at
Exhibition trailer
★★★★★ – Totes fabulous
The Guardian
Exhibition highlights
-
Horse chestnut bag and purse, by Emily Jo Gibbs, 1996, UK
-
Burse for the Great Seal of England, 1558 – 1603, England
-
Model with Lait de Coco Evening Bag, Karl Lagerfeld, 2014
-
Lemière, opera bag and contents, about 1910, France
-
Despatch Box owned by Winston Churchill, by John Peck & Son, about 1921, England
-
'Baguette' bag, by Fendi, 2000, Italy
-
Chatelaine, 1863 – 1885, probably England
-
Dowry bag (bhujki), mid 20th century, Sindh, Pakistan
-
'Fabergé Egg', evening bag, by Judith Leiber, 1983, US
-
Mulberry 'Bayswater' and 'Alexa' bags from the private collections of Kate Moss and Alexa Chung, 2003 and 2010, England
-
Tracey Emin for Longchamp, International Woman suitcase, 2004
-
‘Ocean Legend’ Falabella Go backpack, by Stella McCartney x Parley for the Oceans, Spring – Summer 2018, England
-
Frog purse, 17th century
Past events
Features

About the Bags: Inside Out exhibition
About the Bags: Inside Out exhibition
Find out more about our exhibition dedicated to the ultimate accessory

Inside the Bags: Inside Out exhibition
Inside the Bags: Inside Out exhibition
Take a look inside the Bags: Inside Out exhibition

Making bags
Making bags
Take a look at the complex process of making bags

Burse for Queen Elizabeth I's Great Seal
Burse for Queen Elizabeth I's Great Seal
Why is this richly embroidered Elizabethan 'burse' a symbol of status and power?

Trunks and travelling
Trunks and travelling
Embark on a journey to find out about travelling trunks

Women's tie-on pockets
Women's tie-on pockets
Find out how the development of the humble pocket offered independence and security for women

Make your own tie-on pockets
Make your own tie-on pockets
No pockets in your favourite outfit? Make your own!

What's in the bag?
What's in the bag?
Have a peep inside some of our bags and discover their hidden contents
Bags: Inside Out
© Victoria and Albert Museum, London