Fashion and Textile Museum

The Fashion and Textile Museum stands in Bermondsey, a converted warehouse turned into a bright landmark by Mexican architect Ricardo Legorreta. It was Legorreta’s first and only building in Europe, designed with Zandra Rhodes after she founded the museum in 2003. The exterior shows hot pink, burnt orange, yellow and bright blue, making it easy to spot. Inside, visitors find exhibition space, a textile studio and a printing workshop. Private residential quarters sit above the public areas. The museum’s exhibitions draw attention for their range and quality. Past shows have covered everything from sixty years of Cosprop costumes to sixty years of Susan Collier and Sarah Campbell textiles. Other displays explored propaganda textiles from the French Revolution to Brexit and the life of Norman Hartnell. Each exhibition brings together loans from major collections and private lenders. Fashion historians and designers often travel to see the displays. Inside, rooms are arranged to let the colourful building frame the exhibits. Visitors walk past printed fabrics and finished garments under large windows. The printing workshop still produces samples during open days. Outside, the street leads to Bermondsey’s cafés and markets. The museum’s changing programme keeps the visit fresh for repeat visitors.