Silk: Fiber, Fabric, And Fashion (V&A Museum), Lesley Ellis Miller, Ana Cabrera Lafuente, And Claire Allen‑Johnstone

Silk is a sumptuous visual compendium and authoritative sourcebook charting the captivating material journey of one of the world’s most esteemed textiles. Drawing from the Victoria and Albert Museum’s extraordinary collection, this volume explores silk’s dual narrative—rooted in ancient sericulture yet continually reinvented through weaving, knitting, dyeing, printing, embroidery, and high fashion. Over 600 colour-rich illustrations—ranging from ceremonial robes to runway masterpieces by Dior, Balenciaga, and McQueen—guide the reader through silk’s intricate materiality and its cultural resonance across centuries and continents .

Arranged methodically by technique, each chapter illuminates the dialogue between artisan skill and aesthetic sensibility. From ancient Chinese drawlooms to contemporary couture, the book celebrates how silk’s ethereal sheen has inspired designers, makers and weavers to experiment, innovate, and elevate textile design. A true feast for the eyes, this volume will enrich fashion students, makers, collectors—and anyone enchanted by the transformative allure of cloth.

About the Author
Lesley Ellis Miller, Ana Cabrera Lafuente, and Claire Allen‑Johnstone served respectively as Senior Curator, Curator of Fashion, and Assistant Curator in the V&A’s Furniture, Textiles and Fashion Department. Together, they bring academic rigour, curatorial depth, and rich institutional knowledge to this beautifully structured survey—illuminating silk’s technical traditions and aesthetic evolutions.

Publication date: 2021
Publisher: Thames & Hudson in collaboration with the Victoria and Albert Museum
Pages: 504
ISBN:  9780500480656