About the Project:
I was commissioned by The V&A East to make an 18th Century-inspired wig to accompany a gown of that period designed by Anna Maria Garthwaite.
Anna Maria Garthwaite was one of the foremost designers of flowered silks in 18th-century England. She established her trade at 2 Princelet (formerly Princes) Street, Spitalfields, and lived and worked there from 1730 until her death in 1763. The gown was probably first made 1745-50 and then altered in the 1760s to update the style and possibly for another wearer. The hem was taken up, the robings altered and the top sleeve ruffles converted to cuffs and white silk fringe added. The gown was later altered in the late 19th century for fancy dress. The side seams of the bodice were taken in and the waist seam reconfigured. Ties were added on the inside skirts to create a polonaise/bustle effect and the sleeve ruffles and front skirt panels lined with ivory silk sarsenet.
This wig now features in the fashion ensembles for the inaugural “Why We Make Collections Galleries” at the V&A East Museum, which opened in Spring 2026. These galleries are a permanent, free exhibition celebrating the transformative power of creativity. Rather than using traditional chronological layouts, they juxtapose over 500 global artifacts against themes of identity, wellbeing, social justice, and environment.
The brief for the project was:
“The display will focus on the back of the dress, and the mannequin will be positioned at ¾ view. We have therefore been exploring options for a subtle, abstract crinoline headpiece to visually soften the mannequin head. We would like to colour match this to the mannequin as much as possible to keep it light touch.”
About:
- The wig was made to fix onto a linen-covered mannequin head.
- It was constructed onto a frame made of Rigilene boning with a base of netting.
- The style was created using crinoline strips.
More details about my involvement in this project and how I made this wig can soon be read in a blog post, I will add the link once it is live.