Fifty Dresses that Changed the World: Design Museum Fifty
By (Author) DESIGN MUSEUM ENTERPRISE LTD
Octopus Publishing Group
Conran Octopus Ltd
20th January 2026
7th October 2025
United Kingdom
General
Non Fiction
Fashion and beauty industries
History of art
Hardback
112
Width 3mm, Height 6mm
Fashion design is both an industrial and cultural phenomenon. It stretches from the glamorous catwalks of fashion epicentres, to the industrial factories in far-flung countries. It is ever-changing, and reflects the desires and aspirations of society. It discovers and capitalizes on advances in technology.
The collection of dresses in this book provides an introduction to the path fashion has taken in the past century. It is a story that embraces social and economic change and radically fluctuating positions on gender and sexuality. From the 1915 Delphos Pleated Dress to Cher's 1988 Oscars dress, these are dresses that have gained a special place in design history.With stunning photography selected by the Design Museum, Fifty Dresses that Changed the World is the perfect gift for fashionistas and design enthusiasts of all ages.The Design Museum's mission is to celebrate, entertain and inform. It is the world's leading museum devoted to contemporary design in every form from furniture to fashion, and architecture to graphics. It is working to place design at the centre of contemporary culture and demonstrates both the richness of the creativity to be found in all forms of design, and its importance.