V&A Museum launches new learning day to teach children about design during lockdown

Dame Edna Everage’s fried breakfast dress and a rubber-corseted tutu designed by Vivienne Westwood and Andres Kronthaler are two of the items under the spotlight in the V&A museum’s new weekly learning day.

The dresses have been picked as they “showcase the best examples of human ingenuity” and are part of an online programme of activities for children to learn about design, taking place every Wednesday.

The first week focuses on fashion, and includes activities to introduce children to hands-on making and developing ideas with the things they have at home.

The breakfast dress, designed by Stephen Adnitt and worn by Barry Humphries as Dame Edna, explores the relationship between fashion and cooking. Westwood and Kronthaler’s tutu dress has a corset made out of wild rubber and was worn by Lily Cole to the 2013 punk-inspired Met Gala.

A 19th century Japanese yogi and a ‘bingo’ jacket made by Jim O’Connor are also included in today’s fashion takeover.

Each week a new theme will be chosen, in line with the V&A’s extensive collections which showcase more than 5000 years of art and design. As well as spotlights on particular objects, there will be behind-the-scenes videos and insights into the making of objects with their creators. The themes for the next two weeks will be Theatre and Performance, and Materials.

The museum is encouraging people at home to get involved on social media with the hashtag #LetsMakeWednesdays, and upload their own designs with #myVAM

The activities are available now on vam.ac.uk/blog