Atelier Spatz creates costumes for the Young V&A Museum London

The theater stage at the heart of the Young V&A in East London is an exceptional space for kids to try out their performance skills and let their imagination run free on a red carpet. One of my flamingo capes has been available for kids to try on and play around in since last year and I was delighted when the Young V&A contacted me to commission more costumes.

Designing costumes for kids to wear in a museum space is slightly different than my usual private commission.

I wanted to present the curators at the Young V&A with designs that entice the kids visiting the museum to experience a costume as something that is more than just a garment representing a character.

More abstract shapes start conversations. Is it a pancake? A coin? A dot? The moon? Or a piece of cheese?

And costumes are always also a sensory experience for a child. How does it feel? What does it do to your body wearing it? How can you move in it?

And lastly, they have to make make you smile.

So, here there are: the crinkle cloud hat and the disc.

The crinkle cloud has a very soft cotton jersey beanie inside, that contrasts with the smooth, slightly metallic surface of the lycra that makes the clouds. Hidden between the soft stuffing of the cloud and the outer skin is a crinkle foil, which makes an unusual sound when you squeeze and touch the hat.

The disc on the otherhand is made from two stiffened, round flats and can easily be slipped over the head to wear as a full body shape. But what about wearing it as a turtle back or rolling yourself into it? Could it be worn as a hat? It’s a cumbersome piece of clothing that makes you think about how we view a wearable object.

Now, I wish I was there to watch the kids invent all sorts of stories and characters as they try on these costumes. If you and your kids get a chance to visit the Young V&A, please do report back. Entry to the museum in East London is free and it’s a wonderful space to explore and learn about all sorts of things interesting for kids. The crinkle cloud, the disc and the flamingo, can be found in the theater space on the left of the courtyard (Note: they might not always be available as costumes get rotated to preserve and clean them).

And if you feel your kids are ready for something slightly more abstract as a costume, please get in touch and let’s discuss designs.