V&A Dundee Tartan Exhibition

V&A Dundee is celebrating its 5th anniversary this year! Tartan is the first major exhibition curated by V&A Dundee and the first major design exhibition dedicated to Tartan in the UK in 100 years.

Tartan will celebrate the global story of a unique pattern which has connected communities worldwide, expressed tradition, revolt and diversity, and inspired playful and provocative design. It is a complex, rich, and sometimes painful history unequalled by any other cloth or pattern. Tartan is a textile which is adored and derided, inspiring great works of art and design, and representative of unity and dissent, tradition and rebellion.

While originating in textile traditions, tartan has also been an inspiration for, and incorporated into, art and design cultures including architecture, product design, fashion, film, fine art, and performance. Tartan has become a global symbol of unity and revolution, and the exhibition will explore the incredible impact that the textile has had on fashion and design around the world up to the present day.

The exhibition will feature 300 extraordinary objects from over 70 lenders which include major fashion houses such as Chanel, Dior and McQueen; national collections such as Tate, V&A, National Museums of Scotland, Fashion Museum Bath and the Highland Folk Museum as well as many private lenders.