About the exhibition


British Design 19482012: Innovation in the Modern Age will celebrate the best of British post-war art and design from the 1948 austerity Games to the summer of 2012. The exhibition will highlight significant moments in the history of British design and how the country continues to nurture artistic talent and be a world leader in creativity and design.

Drawing on the V&As unrivalled collections and complemented by works drawn from across Britain, the exhibition will bring together over 300 objects including product design, fashion and textiles, furniture, ceramics and glass, graphics, photography, architecture, fine art and sculpture. It will tell the story of British design in all its forms featuring much-loved objects such as Robin Days Polyprop Chair, a mural by John Piper from The Festival of Britain, fine art by David Hockney and Henry Moore, fashion including an Alexander McQueen evening gown, plus the first E-type Jaguar car ever put on public display. Contemporary works including a model of Zaha Hadids London Aquatics Centre will also be shown, alongside designs rediscovered for the exhibition.