Victoria and Albert Museum Gallery of Fashion

As Senior Curator of Fashion at the V&A, Wilcox was Lead Curator for the architectural refurbishment of the Fashion Gallery and the redisplay of the permanent fashion collection from research process to design and installation. The display shows stylistic and design changes in European fashion and textiles from 1750 to the present. Over 500 individual objects were selected after extensive archival research, the criteria being to cover the main narrative of fashion and to impart new object based knowledge through textual commentary. The gallery contextualises fashion within the wider arena of art and design, acts as a showpiece for leading contemporary fashion and contextualises it within wider dress history. The gallery offers informal and formal learning opportunities such as gallery talks, events and schools activities.

The project developed and consolidated curatorial knowledge and led to new developments in conservation and display techniques. New discoveries were made about specific objects such as the Faberge parasol. Gaps in the collection were identified leading to new acquisitions including Jeanne Lanvin’s robe de style and a 1920s ski-outfit. The rotation programme has ensured that fragile pieces can be seen for the first time, if only briefly. The contemporary case offers an opportunity for re-curation in response to contemporary developments. Wilcox also co-edited and wrote the extended Introduction to the associated publication The V&A Gallery of Fashion. This includes new photography that situates the display within the wider history of the V&A and recent developments in dress history.

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