The fashion collection at the Victoria and Albert Museum is a unique treasure trove for trendsetters and fashion lovers. This Victoria and Albert Museum Fashion Tour takes dedicated followers of fashion on a journey through 250 years of “la mode” in the fashion collection at the V&A Museum. In addition to learning about the history of couture and the ways style has evolved through the decades, we'll also discover why London was, and still is, a hub for high fashion.

What made English trendsetters exchange their muslin prints, silks, and pearls for safety pins, plaid, and underwear as outerwear? What did the ton—the fashionable society—wear in the eighteenth century, and how did the Industrial Revolution in Britain affect what we wear in the twenty-first century? What made the 1930s slink, the 1960s swing, and the 1980s rock? 

For a more general look at the galleries, try our Victoria and Albert Museum Tour.

Using the museum galleries as a backbone, we will weave a narrative connecting the history of Britain, its geographical and cultural expansion, and the influence that this had on the development of fashion. From fabrics and precious stones brought in from the four corners of the Empire to the traditional Harris Tweed woven in the Hebrides, we will discuss all aspects of the fashion industry and how they survive in Great Britain.

We will consider past movers and shakers that have made London the most creative and dynamic center for fashion in the world in the twenty-first century. We will admire one-of-a-kind court dresses from 1750, consider style icons of the past, and discuss the role of contemporary fashion muses. There will also be an opportunity to explore the greater picture and consider how 250 years of history and the spirit of the times are reflected in that phenomenon we call fashion. 

We will meet near the V&A, and end inside the museum. Your confirmation email will have the exact meeting point, along with a map.

Yes! We have some excellent family-friendly guides who can appeal to the learning styles of kids and teens. Feel free to provide us with information about your children such as favorite school subjects, and hobbies.

The tour moves at a leisurely pace. There are opportunities to sit and use the restroom if needed.

Yes, the museum has a stair-free entrance, and the majority of the museum is accessible to wheelchair users.