London's Fashion Alphabet

Welcome to London's Fashion Alphabet. Join us for a series of bite-sized videos where we go behind the scenes to explore our huge fashion archive, all the way from A to Z.

In this section

London's Fashion Alphabet - Z

A for Hardy Amies

A is for Hardy Amies, prolific couturier extraordinaire to the rich and famous, including none other than her majesty the queen.
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B for Boudoir Caps

Take a look at our ornate collection of highly embellished and boudiful caps, which rose in popularity during World War One.
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C for Corsets

We won't waist any time in revealing the topic of this instalment - it's corsets. Join Senior Curator Beatrice Behlen as she introduces you to game-changing corset designer, Roxey Ann Caplin.
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D for Dolls

We continue on our journey with the letter D for dolls. These Second World War dolls, designed by Moray Thomas, reflect the war time fashions of women contributing to Britain's war effort.
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E for Etui

Our Curator of Making, Danielle Thom uncovers the secrets of 18th century mini spoon transportation in our episode all about etuis!
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F for Flowers

#LondonsFashionAlphabet continues with F for Flowers, but not the sweet smelling kind - they're artificial.
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G for Garnet

Take a watch of this episode to learn more about an elusive gemstone which rose to fame in Victorian London.
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H for Horrockses

A beautiful vintage Horrockses dress provides a gateway into the history of the trailblazing cotton manufacturing man: John Horrocks.
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I for Ice Skates

Learn more about one of London's coolest pastimes - ice skating! Plus see some beautiful crafted ice skates from our fashion stores.
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J for Jumpsuit

We look at a retro red jumpsuit, perfect for disco dancing and as daywear for the most fashionable of Londoners.
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K for Krio

Watch on as higher education programme manager, Melissa Bennett talks us through a traditional Krio outfit, which tells us all about the influences surrounding this unique group of people.
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L for Leather Shoe

Come along on this whistlestop tour through Roman, medieval and Tudor London as we look at a load of lovely footwear from throughout London's history.
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M for Mourning Wear

Mourning wear and the tradition of wearing black during more melancholy moments, as you'll discover, was something which Victorians reallllly picked up and ran with.
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N for Nacre

We're talking about Nacre, also known as mother of pearl. Find out more about its various uses, from gambling chips to garnishing the garments of Queen Victoria herself.
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O for Otto Lucas

Take a look at some of Otto's gorgeous hats and gain an insight into his interesting ways of working.
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P for Punk

Zips, rips, chains and paint splatters, the rule book goes out of the window with these items which have mostly been modified or DIY-ed by their owners.
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Q for Mary Quant

Synonymous with London in the swinging 60s, this episode is all about Mary Quant. Her innovative designs and bold colour choices have had a lasting influence on fashion as we know it today.
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R for Rahvis

Fashion curator Lucie Whitmore introduces us to a fabulous evening gown created by Rahvis sisters, Raemonde and Dora.
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S for Silk Suffragette Scarf

Join us as we follow the (literal) thread weaving through the Suffragette movement. What can this S reveal about the hidden stories of women during that time?
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T for Tailoring

From the very beginnings of Savile Row, to the glorious garments made there in the 70s, watch this episode with curator, Beatrice Behlen, for a snapshot of London's most fashionable menswear.
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U for Uniforms

There are many different types of uniforms in our collection, and in this latest instalment, curator of fashion, Dr. Lucie Whitmore, highlights a fascinating group of women’s uniforms from WWI and how these wartime wears influenced wider fashion trends of the day.
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V for Vivienne Westwood

Take a tour of some of the Westwood pieces that we proudly hold in our collection with Visitor Experience Host, Andrew Millar.
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W for Winter Warmers

This episode is focusing on the different items Londoners used to keep warm, be it carriage rugs or porcelain hot water bottles for shoes (watch and this will make sense!).
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X for X-ray

Always up for a challenge, Senior Curator Beatrice Behlen takes on x-ray. What’s that got to do with clothing you say? Watch and find out.
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Y for Yellow Gold

It's coming to that time where we're almost at the end of London's Fashion Alphabet. Discover the letter Y with Curator Danielle Thom.
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Z for Catching ZZZs

As we've all been spending a little more time than normal in our pyjamas, it is only fitting we join Curator of Fashion, Dr Lucie Whitmore to talk about the capital's history of catching ZZZs.
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