Reflections on the V&A Design Culture Salon

The V&A Design Culture Salon on Friday was a terrific experience. It was sold out weeks in advance which was exciting and we had a full house on the night.

I launched the event with a brief introduction to the topic, the panelists and my current research into the history of women’s cycle wear. Everyone presented for five minutes and the discussion was thick and fast with so many questions from the audience that we called an end after two hours before we had a chance to get through them all!

Leah Armstrong from the V&A has written a great piece about the evening  – Reflections on Design Culture Culture Salon 10: How is the urban mobile cyclist designed?

I chose to wear the ‘Hyde Park Safety Skirt’ by Mary Ann Ward for the event. It’s the first time I have worn this garment for a talk so I had to do some rehearsal of the ‘transformation’ from street wear to cycle wear. It’s one of the simpler designs with straps hidden at the waist that operate as shortening devices when they catch the buttons on skirt sides. There were some terrific pics posted on twitter of my ‘transformation’!

Thanks again to everyone for coming along and helping to generate such a dynamic and stimulating event. Hoping we get to do it again next year!.