Coats backs textile preservation project
25/06/2013
The V&A holds one of the most important collections of textiles and fashion in the world, ranging from archaeological textiles to contemporary haute couture. Housing over 104,000 objects ranging from small archaeological textile fragments from Egypt to enormous tapestries created for medieval European palaces, the centre preserves a variety of historical fashion pieces from hoop petticoats from the 1740s to the latest creations by leading designers.
The donation from Coats has enabled one of the antique wooden display cabinets from the former textiles gallery to be restored. The cabinet will contain 160 framed textiles showing the quality, geographic range and diversity of the collection and demonstrating a variety of textiles techniques and designs dating back to 500AD.
Coats has a rich heritage dating back to the 1750s and has been closely involved with textile crafts over the years. During the 1800s the company was responsible for producing the world’s first cotton sewing thread and later introduced spooled cotton sewing thread to consumers, when previously all thread was sold in packets.
Paul Forman, Coats CEO, said: “Coats is extremely proud to be supporting the V&A in its development of the Clothworkers’ Centre which will be the world’s leading facility for the preservation and study of fashion and textiles.”
The Clothworkers’ Centre for Textiles and Fashion Study and Conservation has been developed at Blythe House in London’s Kensington Olympia and opens to the public from 8 October 2013.
Coats employs over 20,000 people in 20 countries and had revenues $1.7bn last year.
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