The Fashion and Textile Museum to showcase an exhibition exploring printed propaganda textiles

The Fashion and Textile Museum will showcase an exhibition called The Fabric of Democracy: Propaganda textiles from the French Revolution to Brexit this September, which will focus on exploring printed propaganda textiles.

Image: Got Brexit Done Tea Towel 2020 on loan from Amber Butchart © Jonathan Richards

The Fashion and Textile Museum is set to host a fascinating new exhibition called The Fabric of Democracy, which explores printed propaganda textiles from around the world. The exhibition will showcase approximately 150 textiles and objects from countries such as Britain, America, Italy, Germany, and Austria, including rare pieces that have never been exhibited in the UK before. Visitors can expect to see a wide range of textiles, from French Toile de Jouy to Japanese robes from the Asia-Pacific war and Cultural Revolution-era Chinese fabrics.

Curated by design historian Amber Butchart, the exhibition will explore how fabric designers and manufacturers have responded to political upheaval throughout history, from the French Revolution to Brexit. The Fabric of Democracy aims to shed light on how textiles have been used as a tool of the state across the political spectrum, from communism to fascism. The exhibition also reveals how a fraternal crisis in the monarchy played out on cloth, and how democracies promote national identity through textile design. By exploring the intersection of printed fabric and political messaging, the exhibition aims to illustrate how the technological advances in the manufacture of textiles have enabled propaganda to enter the domestic sphere, to become part of people’s lives and identities.

Image: Peace in our Time Scarf 1938 by Jacqmar on loan from the Paul and Karen Rennie Collection © Jonathan Richards

The Fabric of Democracy promises to be a thought-provoking exhibition that highlights the power of textiles as communicators of political messages. Through the exhibition, visitors will gain a greater understanding of how printed cloth has been used as a medium to convey ideologies, both in public spaces and in the home. The exhibition encourages visitors to consider the ways in which textiles have played a role in shaping political discourse throughout history, and how they continue to do so in the modern era.

Date: 29 September 2023 - 31 March 2024. Location: 83 Bermondsey Street, London, SE1 3XF. Price: from £12.65. Concessions available. Book now.