What is it?
With its flamboyent hot pink and mustard yellow exterior, you can’t miss the Fashion and Textile Museum on Bermondsey Road. Founded by designer Zandra Rhodes in 2003, this centre for contemporary fashion, textiles and jewellery is now operated by Newham College. It offers a programme of changing exhibitions and a permanent collection of 3,000 of Rhodes’s garments plus her archive of paper designs, sketchbooks, silk screens and show videos. That’s as well as putting on courses for creative students, businesses and any members of the public in search of a fun new hobby.
Notable past exhibitions have included a display of Jazz Age haute couture, a retrospective of American designer Anna Sui, a dive into the evolution of underwear and an exploration of propaganda textiles from the French Revolution all the way to Brexit.
Why go?
To fire up your creative juices and get some fun wardrobe inspo. Also, this is the only museum in the UK dedicated to contemporary fashion and textile design, so you’re not going to get anything like it anywhere else.
Don’t miss
The quirky shop selling unique wares by new designers and a selection of tailoring tools (in case you’ve been inspired to attempt making some clothes for yourself).
When to visit
Open Tuesdays to Saturdays 11pm-6pm. Last admission is 45 minutes before closing.
Ticket info
Admission to the Fashion and Textile Museum is £12.65 for adults 26 and over, £11.55 for concessions and £10.45 for students. Children under 12 go free.
Entry to the café and shop is free.
Time Out tip
After you leave the Fashion and Textile Museum, continue your cultured journey down Bermondsey Street and stop by London Glassblowing, Earnes Fine Art Gallery and, of course, White Cube. Make a detour through Maltby Street Market for a delicious pick-me-up.