Last year we visited the V&A’s Clotherworkers’ Centre as part of our Textile Tour of London with The Sewing Workshop. Located within Blythe House, the centre houses the V&A’s collection of fashion and textiles and is a facility for study and conservation. The collection ranges from archaeological textile fragments, tapestries and carpets to 18th-century court dress and contemporary haute couture.
Our visit was with Susan North, Curator of Fashion, 1550–1800, who kindly shared her knowledge and the stories of some of the incredible textiles at the Centre.
A highlight of the tour was the wedding suit of James II, worn in 1673 for his marriage to Mary of Modena. The spectacular suit was made from wool broadcloth and lined with coral ribbed silk. Silver and silver-gilt couched threads feature all over the suit making a floral pattern with lilies and honeysuckle. The pattern doesn’t repeat which suggests that it was drawn freehand.
The jacket also carries the only example of a 17th-century garter star in its original support. The Order of the Garter is the most senior order of Knighthood. The King’s garter star being more elaborate, reflecting his royal status. The 48 buttons on the front opening are an important decorative part of the jacket and were wood covered with gold and silver threads with corresponding cut buttonholes. At the time the style was a fairly new fashion in menswear and was influenced by French military coats which had themselves become fashionable by Louis XIV. The Duke (as he was at the time) met his new wife in Dover wearing the suit which would have sparkled in the daylight, we hope she was as impressed as we were.
We look forward to welcoming The Sewing Workshop to London again in April 2020 and delving further into the Clothworkers’ Centres’ marvellous collection…
You can read more about the other places we plan to visit on this tour: London and Bath Textile Tour, 14-24 April.
