This exhibition explores the intersection of fashion, technology, and sustainability, showcasing innovative designs and technologies that are shaping the future of the industry. Tomorrow’s Wardrobe features a diverse range of designers and brands, including established names like Stella McCartney and Burberry, alongside emerging talents like Bethany Williams and Priya Ahluwalia. The exhibition highlights the importance of circularity, upcycling, and innovative materials in creating a more sustainable fashion industry.

This is the second display in the museum’s new Future Observatory display space on its second floor, which showcases ongoing design research responding to the climate emergency. Future Observatory is the Design Museum’s national research programme for the green transition, and aims to champion new design thinking on environmental issues by curating exhibitions, programming events, and funding and publishing research. Based at the museum, it is coordinated in partnership with the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council. Though an important part of the UK economy, the significant environmental and social impact of the fashion industry is felt across the world and spans textile manufacture, the design process, and the way we consume clothes. Production is only increasing, with annual garment production doubling since 2000 and expected to increase by 60% by 2030. The upstream supply chain has a high impact on the rest of the fashion ecosystem, with an estimated 80% of a product’s environmental impact determined at design stage. Tomorrow’s Wardrobe showcases research taking place across different parts of the industry to reduce this damage: by cutting waste, innovating with new materials and methods, producing longer lasting clothes and changing how we – everyday wearers of clothes – think about what ends up in our wardrobes.

This tool will provide a fashion industry insights and data visualization, showcasing the environmental impact of different fabrics and textiles. The second section focuses on the exhibition’s core message: the urgent need for change in the fashion industry. This section will feature a series of installations and interactive displays that highlight the environmental impact of fast fashion and the benefits of sustainable practices.

* **Textile Landscapes:** A project that explores the production of fabrics, materials, and textiles. * **UK as a Productive Landscape:** The UK is a significant producer of materials for clothing, with a diverse range of production processes. * **Biodiversity Support:** Textile production in the UK can support thriving biodiversity by employing sustainable practices.

In the Studio looks at the new ways in which designers are working to reduce their environmental impact. Visitors will learn about how high-tech innovations such as artificial intelligence and robotics are blending with low-tech solutions such as design for disassembly and upcycling to define the fashion studio of the future. This section features a polo shirt made from upcycled vintage sports shirts by fashion brand Ahluwalia, which was acquired by the Design Museum earlier this summer for its permanent collection. Other projects include a pair of shoes made for disassembly produced in collaboration between outerwear brands Ranra and Salomon. Visitors will also learn about the UK’s first polyester recycling plant, and see a school blazer that was designed for recycling by Project Plan B.

The World Wide Web is a powerful tool for promoting sustainable fashion and reducing textile waste. Your Wardrobe also explores the impact of climate change on the fashion industry. The exhibition highlights the environmental impact of fast fashion, including its contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, and resource depletion. It also examines the potential for sustainable fashion to address these challenges. The exhibition aims to inspire visitors to rethink their relationship with clothing and to consider the environmental impact of their choices.

The curatorial team has been working closely with the designers and manufacturers to ensure the display is both aesthetically pleasing and technically sound. The exhibition will feature a selection of iconic and contemporary designs, showcasing the evolution of the footwear industry. The curatorial team has identified key themes and trends that have shaped the design of footwear, including comfort, innovation, sustainability, and cultural impact.

Phoebe English, fashion designer, said: “In our small way we have been exploring how we can use the act of designing fashion to use up waste as we go along and begin to bring a tangible and practical link to our natural systems by making our work. We have become entirely divorced from nature and we hope as time goes by we can find a way of teaching ourselves how to become inseparable.”