Now in London: Ballgowns: British Glamour Since 1950

One of the most anticipated exhibitions happening this year finally opened on Saturday at the V&A in London. Ballgowns: British Glamour Since 1950 gives a glamorous overview of the past 60 years of evening couture in the UK.

This is the sort of fashion most of us can only look at in pictures, so it is extremely exciting to be able to see these gowns in real life. The exhibition has pieces from designers such as Victor Stiebel, Hardy Amies and Norman Hartnell representing the 50s, Bellville Sassoon for the 60s, Ossie Clark and Yuki for the 70s, Zandra Rhodes and Victor Edelstein for the 80s, and modern designers like Erdem, Gareth Pugh, and Alexander McQueen.

It isn’t just the dresses themselves that are exciting, but the people who have worn them. We can see an Emanuel dress worn by Joan Collins, Catherine Walker as worn by Princess Diana, Jacques Azagury as worn by Helen Mirren, Bellville Sassoon worn by Princess Anne, and the Ralph & Russo design worn by Beyoncé at Barack Obama’s inauguration ball in 2009.

Ballgowns: British Glamour Since 1950 is on at the V&A from now until 6 January 2013. Full price tickets are £11.60.

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8 thoughts on “Now in London: Ballgowns: British Glamour Since 1950”

Yes, i really want to see this, hoping to be in London in the autumn after all the O**%##* silliness has finished. Aren’t they being a bit literal there with all those spherical thingys?

Wow, this looks so amazing!!!!! I have no idea when I’ll make it to London next but oh how I wish that I were going to be there for this.

Courtney ~ http://sartorialsidelines.com