Walker Art Gallery: We go inside the Vivienne Westwood, Mary Quant and Laura Ashley exhibition in Liverpool

A new display at the Walker Art Gallery celebrates female designers. Featuring innovators of global influence, including Vivienne Westwood, Mary Quant and Laura Ashley, there are also pieces with an important connection to Liverpool.

Creating Visions: Women Designers 1900-2000 features some of the most exciting and significant designs from the last hundred years, including 14 items of dress which are on display to the public for the first time.

Fiona Slattery Clark, Curator of Decorative Art at National Museums Liverpool, told said: “Our vast decorative art collection contains some truly exquisite pieces by female designers and it’s been a joy to assemble some of the most exciting and significant designs from the last hundred years for this display.”

On display there is a pinafore dress by Jean Muir; a tunic dress with matching overcoat by Janice Wainwright; a tunic dress from Vivienne Westwood’s Nostalgia of Mud Collection; a skirt and a long-sleeved top from Vivienne Westwood’s Rolls Royce Collection; an evening cape by Thea Porter; and a glass wedding dress made by Diana Dias-Leão. 

This display, located in the Craft and Design Gallery, showcases pieces dating from the early 20th century to the early 21st century. They draw from National Museums Liverpool's extensive decorative arts collection, which is one of the finest in the UK.

Also on show will be a selection of jewellery, enamels and glass which will change throughout the duration of the display.

• Watch the video above to look inside Creating Visions: Women Designers 1900-2000 at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool.