London
16 Apr 12 Mar 2016
Exhibitions

Undressed

A Brief History of Underwear

Discover the evolution of underwear design from the 18th-century to the present day.Undressed: A Brief History of Underwear features over 200 examples of underwear for men and women, highlighting the enduring themes of innovation and luxury. From the custom-made, such as a rare example of home-made ‘stays’ worn by a working woman in England in the 18th-century, to pieces by current designers including Stella McCartney, Rigby & Peller and Paul Smith, the exhibition explores the relationship between underwear and fashion. It covers notions of the ideal body, and the ways that cut, fit, fabric and decoration can reveal issues of gender, sex and morality.