Muslin

This book charts the history of muslin from India to Europe to America, illustrated by some of the finest examples from the V&A’s relatively unexplored collection of more than 900 objects, including men’s and women’s dress, dolls, and ballet costumes. Muslin has been used for everything from gowns for Mughal princes and delicate dresses to the humble baby’s diaper. Many Asian examples are dyed vivid colors and embellished with embroidery, gold, silver, spangles, and even propaganda, while in the West muslin was adapted to changing fashions throughout the 19th and 20th centuries and has been used by designers such as Vivienne Westwood and John Galliano.

Sonia Ashmore is a design historian specializing in aspects of cultural exchange and trade between Britain and Asia. She has been published widely and contributed to a number of V&A books, including British Asian Style.