The Cloakroom by Faye Toogood

The first part of the experience was a literal cloakroom, located in Room 55, where visitors were invited to check out one of 150 Toogood coats to wear around the Museum. Each coat was equipped with a sewn-in map that guided the visitor through the second part of the installation: ten places in the Museum galleries, where they discovered a series of sculptural garments created by Toogood in response to nearby objects from the Museum’s collection – from a 15th century timber-panelled room to a shining suit of armour. The 150 navigational coats were based on the voluminous Oil Rigger coat, one of the first coats designed for the Toogood brand, which the designer runs with her pattern-cutter sister, Erica. The coats were made from Highfield by Kvadrat, a high-tech compressed-foam textile and each has been hand-treated to render it unique. The sculptural garments visitors discovered during their journey were constructed from non-traditional fashion materials, including wood, fibreglass and metal, bridging the worlds of furniture design and fashion with which Toogood is engaged. “These are ten of my favourite objects within the V&A, and I’ve responded to each object’s material, craftsmanship, or artisan maker,” said Toogood. “I want to take people on a journey of discovery through the depths of the Museum.” Supported by Kvadrat.