The Lady M team were delighted to receive an invitation to the press preview of the beautiful new collection of ballgowns at the Victoria & Albert museum. On Tuesday morning, I wandered down to South Kensington to find out more about the stunning new exhibition. 

Ballgowns: British Glamour Since 1950 at the V&A

As the recession continues and ‘austerity’ is a word consistently lodged in our vocabularies, some designers have begun to shape their collections to reflect the changing economy. Other parts of the fashion world remain unchanged: bold, beautiful fantasy lands unconfined by practicality. The ballgown is one such garment. What could possibly be more outlandish, decadent and deliciously out of touch with reality than the ballgown? Not an item to be found in many wardrobes, as a generalisation, and yet quite the British institution. A ballgown invokes images of debutantes, society hostesses, and old England. While it’s true that the V&A celebrates this cultural heritage, the exhibit is also very much focused on the modern incarnation of the ballgown, which is the red carpet dress.

The exhibition holds more than 60 ballgowns from 1950 to the present day. And by present day, they really mean ‘present day’. One particular Christopher Kane gown had been worn at the Met Gala on the 7th May, and yet still appeared in the exhibit, perfectly pressed and polished yesterday. The exhibit consists of two levels, the first of which is a broader chronogical look at fashion, with an inner sanctum which contains beautifully curated sections displaying the gowns to their best advantage. You can even take a peek at Princess Diana’s ‘Elvis’ dress. Gowns are draped perfectly on mannequins who are posed in lively poses. The mezzanine level is a collection of increasingly recognisable names of British designers: Holly Fulton, Gareth Pugh, Mary Katrantzou, Jonathan Saunders and Osman Yousefzada. The upper level charts the move of the ballgown into the ‘red carpet’ arena.

The exhibit has a completely different feel to any other fashion display I’ve ever seen; it feels full of life and movement. Fashion seen behind glass or from a distance can often seem stiff, strange, and distant. The curators of this exhibition, Oriole Cullen and Sonnet Stanfill, clearly had a vision, and it was an incredible space to move into. Walking around this exhibition could take hours, and time needs to be spent examining each gown. I instantly gravitated towards a few favourites: a searingly gorgeous silk printed Nicolas Oakwell gown featuring a Van Gogh-esque inky sky; a Marchesa mountain of pale net, topped with a tinge of forest green, and a sky blue Galliano gown with sequinned ladybird-esque spots and stunning draping.

The gowns are incredible, and the setting of the newly lit and restored Octagon Court creates an experience that transcends simply wandering around an exhibition. Whether you go to see the glorious gowns from the 50s and the Pathe news reels, whether you go for the gown that looks like lace but is actually latex by Atsuko Kudo, or whether you go for the Gareth Pugh sweeping creation that looks like armour, this is an exhibition that anyone with an interest in fashion should see. I asked curators Oriole Cullen and Sonnet Stanfill what they thought the future of the ballgown was: they commented on how designers were using intriguing new techniques, creating something apart from catwalk trends. Oriole described the ‘fantasy land’ quality of the ballgown; a place for experimenting and truly clarifying the vision of the designer. Ultimately, this is a gorgeous exhibition, and feels a bit like stepping into another world.

Ballgowns: British Glamour Since 1950 runs at the V&A from 19th May 2012 to 6th January 2013. The V&A opens daily 10.00-17.00, and until 22.00 on Fridays. Tickets for the exhibit are £10 (£7 concessions, free for V&A members.)