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Fashioning Masculinities: The Art of Menswear
At a moment of unprecedented creativity in men's fashion and reflection on gender, this exhibition explored how designers, tailors and artists – and their clients and sitters – have constructed and performed masculinity, and unpicked it at the seams.
This exhibition is now closed at V&A South Kensington
A comprehensive and often surprising overview of what 'menswear' actually means now and how far it's come
The Telegraph
Exhibition highlights
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Craig Green SS21, photography by Amy Gwatkin
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Autumn Winter 2020 Flower Boy two-piece set, by Orange Culture, photographed by Mikey Oshai, image courtesy of Adebayo Oke-Lawal
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Portrait of Prince Alessandro Farnese by Sofonisba Anguissola, about 1560. Courtesy of The National Gallery of Ireland
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Harris Reed Fluid Romanticism 001. Courtesy Harris Reed. Photo: Giovanni Corabi
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Wales Bonner Spring/Summer 2015 Afrique. Photo: Dexter Lander
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Wool coat and trousers, and silk top hat, United States, 1845 – 53. Museum nos. T.176-1965, T.121-1949, T.177-1965, T.107-1937
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Jean-Baptiste Belley, by Omar Victor Diop, 2014, Pigment inkjet print on Harman by Hahnemühle paper. Courtesy MAGNIN-A Gallery, Paris.
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Chris Steele-Perkins, Market Tavern, Bradford, England, 1976
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Alessandro Michele for Gucci. Look 7 FW 2015. Courtesy of Gucci
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Features
Inside the Fashioning Masculinities exhibition
Inside the Fashioning Masculinities exhibition
Take a look inside our first major exhibition to celebrate the art of menswear
Sew your own: customisable shirt
Sew your own: customisable shirt
Create your own stylish shirt inspired by fashions through the ages
In the pink: colour in menswear
In the pink: colour in menswear
Discover the dazzling spectrum of colours in menswear throughout history
Fashion design: Priya Ahluwalia
Fashion design: Priya Ahluwalia
"One of the most important outfits in a man's wardrobe is a tracksuit"
Fashion design: Rahemur Rahman
Fashion design: Rahemur Rahman
Sustainable, ethical fashion, "for people who dream in colour"
Fashion design: Samuel Ross / A-COLD-WALL*
Fashion design: Samuel Ross / A-COLD-WALL*
Clothing as "armour for the now", or architecture for the body
Fashion design: Edward Crutchley
Fashion design: Edward Crutchley
Sumptuous and subversive fashions which disregard gender
About the Fashioning Masculinities exhibition
About the Fashioning Masculinities exhibition
Find out about the first major V&A exhibition to celebrate the art of menswear
Design and make a spectacular party outfit
Design and make a spectacular party outfit
Design a party outfit inspired by the shapes and patterns of men's fashion through the ages
Fashion in Motion: Harris Reed
Fashion in Motion: Harris Reed
Harris Reed showcased gender-fluid highlights from his collections
Fashion in Virginia Woolf's 'Orlando'
Fashion in Virginia Woolf's 'Orlando'
Curator Rosalind McKever explores fashion, gender and identity in Virgina Woolf’s novel 'Orlando'.
Photographing masculinities: gender, identity and the gaze
Photographing masculinities: gender, identity and the gaze
Look through the lens of female and non-binary photographers in our collection
Teachers' resource
Encourage students to develop critical, creative, and collaborative thinking skills on the themes of menswear and gender
Download the resource
Fashioning Masculinities: The Art of Menswear
With support from
Header image:
Gucci Pre-Fall 2019 Men's Tailoring Campaign. Creative Director: Alessandro Michele. Art Director: Christopher Simmonds. Photographer & Director: Harmony Korine. Courtesy of Gucci.