Fashioning Masculinities: The Art of Menswear at the V&A

JA Projects has been appointed by the Victoria & Albert Museum to manage an interdisciplinary team to design a new retrospective on The Art of Menswear. Heloise led the project on behalf of JA Projects. Fashioning Masculinities is the first major V&A exhibition to celebrate the power, artistry and diversity of masculine attire and appearance. From the extravagance of the European courts, to the subtle elegance of bespoke tailoring, to the vitality of today’s international fashion scene, the exhibition traces how menswear has been fashioned and refashioned over the centuries. Fashioning Masculinities brings together contemporary looks by legendary designers and rising stars alongside historical treasures from the V&A’s collections and landmark loans: classical sculptures, Renaissance paintings, iconic photographs, and powerful film and performance. At a moment of unprecedented creativity in men’s fashion and reflection on gender, Fashioning Masculinities explores how designers, tailors and artists – and their clients and sitters – have constructed and performed masculinity, and unpicked it at the seams. The full design team includes Studio Hugo Blanzat (graphic design) and Studio ZNA (lighting design). The exhibition is open until 6 November 2022. Images by Thomas Adank