Latest news with #VandA
The Sun
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
The trendy London neighbourhood with world-famous new museum and cool hotels
STRATFORD is having a moment thanks to some exciting new museums and attractions. Put on the map following the creation of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in 2012, the East London neighbourhood is slowly becoming a trendy spot to go to. 3 3 3 So much so, it was named the coolest place to visit in London by Time Out earlier this year. And that's been backed further by the opening of the much anticipated V&A East Storehouse ( at the end of May. It is certainly expansive – spread across four floors, taking up the space of 30 basketball courts. Free to visit, after putting my handbag into one of the many lockers (big bags and bulky coats along with food and drink aren't allowed inside) I was ready to explore. The museum's collection is broken down into three 'themes' – items that have a story, items inspired by the V&A and items that show a working museum. An element I loved was the lack of walls so you can see everything while standing in one spot – almost reminding me of an IKEA warehouse. But the variation of items (of which there are 250,000) means there is something for everyone. Kids will be fascinated by the sword displays, while I loved the items from important protests throughout history. Architecture lovers will be taken by the famous Frank Lloyd Wright rooms and there is enough art and memorabilia to keep all types occupied, from motorbikes and guitars to magazines and interiors. Yet, it's a museum made for the modern day – every piece has a QR code to scan for more information rather than huge signs of text. Take a look inside London's Hotel 41 Later this year it will open the David Bowie Centre, an archive dedicated to the six decades of the late singer's career. And next spring will see the opening of V&A East Museum, a 7,000sqm attraction space with live shows and pop-ups. But that's not the only new boost of culture at Stratford. Following the success of Sadler's Wells Theatre in Islington, the new Sadler's Wells East ( has also opened just around the corner from the new V&A. Huge bowls of pasta With live dance shows, from flamenco to hip hop, I was left in awe watching Find Your Eyes – a show created by photographer Benji Reid who used dance alongside his live photography on stage. With my battery running low, I needed some downtime and thankfully just around the corner was the stylish Gantry Hotel. It's a great evening destination, where you'll spot everyone from laptop types in the lobby to after-work drinkers on the terrace. The day-lounge-turned-evening-restaurant Union Social kept me well fed with huge bowls of pasta followed by a glass of wine from the retro Coupe bar.
The Independent
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
V&A announces first UK exhibition devoted to haute couture house Schiaparelli
The Victoria and Albert museum is preparing to open the first UK exhibition devoted to haute couture house Schiaparelli. Set to launch in March 2026, the retrospective will chart the history and impact of Italian fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli, who founded Maison Schiaparelli in the 1920s. It will also explore the present-day incarnation of Schiaparelli, which is now in the hands of creative director Daniel Roseberry. Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art will be staged in the Sainsbury Gallery and comprise more than 200 objects, including garments, accessories, jewellery and paintings. The exhibition, created in close collaboration with Schiaparelli, will be the first of its kind to spotlight the London branch of the house, according to the museum. Highlights include the Skeleton dress, which features quilting resembling large bone, the Tears dress, which features a unique 'tear' print, and a hat shaped to look like an upside-down shoe – all conceived in collaboration with surrealist artist Salvador Dali. The exhibition will reference the popularity of Schiaparelli's designs for film and the theatre with artworks by Spanish painter Pablo Picasso, French poet Jean Cocteau, and US visual artist Man Ray on display. Tristram Hunt, director of the V&A, said: 'Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art will celebrate one of the most ingenious and daring designers in fashion history. 'The V&A holds one of the largest and most important fashion collections in the world, and the foremost collection of Schiaparelli garments in Britain. 'Schiaparelli's collaboration with artists and with the world of performance make the Maison and its founder an ideal subject for a spectacular exhibition at the V&A.' Delphine Bellini, chief executive of Schiaparelli, said: 'Elsa Schiaparelli's fearless imagination and radical vision redefined the boundaries between fashion and art. 'This exhibition celebrates her enduring influence through iconic collaborations with 20th century masters and a pioneering fusion of creativity and commerce. 'With its unparalleled collections, expertise in fashion and design, cultural reach, and ability to bridge tradition and innovation, the Victoria and Albert Museum offers the perfect setting to showcase her legacy alongside Daniel Roseberry's creations, which carry her surrealist spirit forward blurring lines with bold, sculptural designs that both honour and reinvent her vision for a new century.' The exhibition is the latest in the V&A's series of major fashion exhibitions which includes retrospectives of Gabrielle Chanel, Christian Dior and Alexander McQueen. Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art will run from March 21 to November 1 2026. Tickets will go on sale in Autumn 2025.
BBC News
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Catherine goes behind the scenes at museum stores
The Princess of Wales has visited the Victoria and Albert Museum's storehouse in East London, as it opens its vast collection to more museum, which has its main building in South Kensington, has more than 600,000 objects in newly-opened store rooms at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic had a behind-the-scenes tour, where she praised how the public will be able to get a close view of so many historic V&A East Storehouse is a purpose-built museum store, intended to widen access and "unlock" its huge collection of art, design and fashion items, much of which is not usually on display. "What a fantastic idea to have all these pieces to learn from - so they're not just behind the scenes and stored away somewhere. You can see them in person and up close," said Catherine."What an opportunity for everyone to see historic pieces first hand," she said, praising the "eclectic" was shown around the store's cavernous rooms by the museum's director Tristram Hunt and she saw examples of conservation work on textiles in the Hunt showed the princess some examples of textiles by the Victorian designer, William Morris, and she said how much she liked the foliage spoke to the museum director about how some of the historic textiles on show could still look museum stores, free to visitors, has an "order an object" service which allows visitors to book an appointment to see an object close up and get information about it from museum to royal sources, the purpose of the visit was to highlight the importance of creative opportunity and to celebrate the "power of creativity". Sign up here to get the latest royal stories and analysis every week with our Royal Watch newsletter. Those outside the UK can sign up here.
The Sun
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Art-loving Princess Kate dazzles on tour of London's newest tourist attraction
PRINCESS Kate has dazzled during a tour of London's newest attraction. The Princess of Wales, 43, has been shown around V&A East Storehouse after the site opened last month. 3 3 3 The three-storey attraction is situated on Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, East London. The Storehouse boasts half a million exhibits and archives from the V&A collections on show which are usually tucked away in storerooms accessible to visitors for free. Where possible glass has been removed to get visitors closer to exhibits. During the tour, Kate saw the storeroom in action and meet curators who collect, conserve and display the masterpieces. It comes after the V&A East Storehouse opened in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford, East London, on May 31, 2025. It shows off everything from Elton John's costumes and retro football shirts, to vintage Glastonbury memorabilia. It features a huge new David Bowie exhibition, opening in September 2025, with more than 80,000 items from the star's life. Visitors can also see what happens behind the scenes in a museum - why and how they collect objects and how they look after them. This includes a glimpse at conservators preserving items like clothing, paintings and puppets. The purpose-built home includes more than 250,000 objects, 350,000 library books and 1,000 archives from the V&A's collections The Prince and Princess of Wales are celebrating the birth of quadruplet puppies According to the website: 'Because the V&A's collections span 5,000 years of human creativity, the team at Storehouse cares for everything from the pins used to secure a 17th century ruff to a two-storey section of a maisonette flat from the Robin Hood Gardens housing estate, demolished in 2017. 'The sheer scale of Storehouse means it is now possible to see other huge artefacts, including The Kaufmann Office (the only complete Frank Lloyd Wright interior outside of the US) and the spectacular 15th-century gilded wooden ceiling from the now-lost Torrijos Palace in Toledo, Spain.' In a world-first, the centre offers an 'Order an Object experience,' which lets visitors book in advance to see a specific item up close, along with an experienced member of staff. The Storehouse has opened a short walk from where the new V&A East Museum is being built, and which is scheduled to open in 2026. Princess Kate has been busy of late, having officially named HMS Glasgow by smashing a bottle of local Scottish whisky against its hull, late last month. Joined by her husband, Prince William, she uttered the time-honoured words: "I have the pleasure to name this ship HMS Glasgow, may God bless her and all who sail on her'" Then flicked up a small red 'launch' button to conduct the traditional naming ritual at the BAE Systems' shipyard in Scotstoun, on the bank of the River Clyde in Glasgow. A bottle of exclusive single malt whisky made by the nearby Clydeside Distillery smashed into the hull in the maritime tradition. Kate has been the ship's sponsor since 2021 and this was her first naming ceremony for a naval vessel. Each bottle of the whisky sold includes a donation to HMS Glasgow's chosen charity, Place2Be, of which the Princess is patron, and which supports children's mental health in the city. A bagpiper marked the start of the 25-minute ceremony before a P-8 Poseidon Maritime Patrol Aircraft from 120 Squadron at RAF Lossiemouth performed a flypast. Sir Simon Lister, managing director of BAE Systems Naval Ships, and Second Sealord Vice Admiral Sir Martin Connell, gave speeches. Sir Martin Connell thanked the Prince and Princess for their support in reaching the milestone.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Story Behind Jackie Kennedy's Cartier Watch: A Royal Gift With ‘Traces and Clues of Her Life' Revealed
The V&A's latest fashion exhibit showcases the iconic, world-renowned jewelry brand Cartier, and among its dazzling display of diamonds is a timepiece steeped in history: the Cartier watch once owned by Jackie Kennedy. According to Sunita Kumar Nair, author of 'CBK: Carolyn Bessette Kennedy: A Life in Fashion,' this display is particularly meaningful: 'This is an incredible moment, for the general public to see a historical timepiece from the Kennedy legacy, particularly Jackie's,' Kumar Nair said. 'It wasn't included for public eyes until now, which is an excellent example of how she still remains an important part of our cultural legacy and how there are still parts of her life yet to be unravelled.' More from WWD Sarah Jessica Parker Embraces Dark Glamour in Custom Jenny Packham for 'And Just Like That' Season Three Paris Photo Call EXCLUSIVE: Birkenstock Reimagines Self Care 'From the Feet Up' With Pop-up Spa Experience in Los Angeles at The Grove Sarah Jessica Parker Goes Boho Chic in Paris, Kristin Davis Favors Florals in Rixo Dress and More Looks at the 'And Just Like That...' Season Three Premiere This storied accessory has journeyed through the ages. Its significance dates back to 1963, when President John F. Kennedy launched a fitness initiative, challenging the population to walk 50 miles, hoping to inspire Americans to become more active. Jackie's brother-in-law, Prince Stanislaw 'Stas' Radziwill, who was married to her sister, took part in the trek. Jackie intermittently joined the walk, offering support and encouragement along the way. In commemoration of the experience, Stas gave her the Cartier watch. The memory of that day was preserved with a heartfelt inscription engraved on the back: 'Stas to Jackie / 23 Feb. 63 / 2:05 AM to 9:35 PM,' in script. In a tragic turn of events, six months after this, President Kennedy was assassinated, leaving Jackie a widow. As reported by Nair, the next time the widow was seen in public, she was with her daughter Caroline skiing in Sun Valley, a glimpse of the watch face captured. 'She served the American people as first lady, and she respected the boundaries and messages that certain pieces of fashion and jewelry meant to the general public and her husband's presidency,' Kumar Nair explained, 'it felt like the watch was a signifier of her new life, a private citizen free to wear what she wanted, and a flag of her social status and life as a widow.' After that, the ex-first lady was rarely seen without it and it became a staple for her, making it a well-loved accessory. After her death in 1994, Sotheby's held a sale of her belongings, which did not include her watch. It wasn't until 2017 that Christie's announced a sale of the watch. An unidentified bidder won the accessory for $379,500, which was later revealed to be Kim Kardashian. The story now continues as the watch takes its new home at the V&A. 'Jackie was so private, and we are still left with traces and clues of her life. There is something to be said about keeping parts of your life private, particularly when you are serving a public life,' Kumar Nair noted. View Gallery Launch Gallery: Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis 1960s Style File From the Archives [PHOTOS] Best of WWD Model and Hip Hop Fashion Pioneer Kimora Lee Simmons' Runway Career Through the Years [PHOTOS] Salma Hayek's Fashion Evolution Through the Years: A Red Carpet Journey [PHOTOS] How Christian Dior Revolutionized Fashion With His New Look: A History and Timeline
