The Politics of Fashion and Drag

Scrumbly Koldewyn remembers the '60s San Francisco theatre scene; Jenny Gilbert & Shahdiha Bari debate environmentalism and fashion at the V&A and Clare Lilley Director of Programmes at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park looks at the use of thread and textiles in art. Plus drag at The Royal Vauxhall Tavern in London with performers Lavinia Co-op and Rhys Hollis, plus Ben Walters who is researching this history.

The environmental impact of fashion over more than 400 years is examined in the first UK exhibition to look at this topic. That's how the V&A is billing its new show Fashioned From Nature. Jenny Gilbert from De Montfort University visits the display and talks to Shahidha Bari about her research into textiles.

Fashioned from Nature runs at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London from April 21st to January 27th 2019.
The Yorkshire Sculpture Park is displaying Beyond Time an installation in the C18th chapel by Chiharu Shiota until September 2nd.

Scrumbly Koldewyn is one of the founding members of the Cockettes, the legendary psychedelic hippie theatre troupe based in San Francisco in the 60s

The tenth season of RuPaul's Drag Race has just started to air on Netflix. The Royal Vauxhall Tavern is South London's oldest surviving gay venue and is the UK's first building to be Grade II listed in recognition of its importance to LGBTQ community history.

Producer: Debbie Kilbride