The Victoria and Albert Museum in London (V&A) has turned down an offer to take a selection of the former prime minister Margaret Thatcher’s clothing into its collection.
The clothes will now be sold by Christie’s in December as part of an auction featuring 350 historic and personal lots belonging to the former prime minister.
The items, which include her wedding outfit, an Aquascutum raincoat worn during a visit to British Forces at a NATO training ground in Germany in 1986, and her navy blue leather handbag, are being sold on behalf of her children, Mark and Carol Thatcher.
A spokeswoman for the V&A said: "Several years ago, a general discussion took place to explore whether some pieces from the wardrobe of Baroness Thatcher might be added to the V&A’s collection. These conversations did not develop. The V&A would like to make it clear that no formal offer was made for the Museum to acquire the collection."
The gallery told the Guardian that it was responsible for chronicling “fashionable dress” and that its collecting policy is focused on acquiring examples of outstanding aesthetic or technical quality.
“The V&A politely declined the offer of Thatcher’s clothes, feeling that these records of Britain’s political history were best suited to another collection which would focus on their intrinsic social historical value,” it said in a statement.
Was the V&A right to turn down the collection?
Vote in the poll and have your say in the comment box below.
The clothes will now be sold by Christie’s in December as part of an auction featuring 350 historic and personal lots belonging to the former prime minister.
The items, which include her wedding outfit, an Aquascutum raincoat worn during a visit to British Forces at a NATO training ground in Germany in 1986, and her navy blue leather handbag, are being sold on behalf of her children, Mark and Carol Thatcher.
A spokeswoman for the V&A said: "Several years ago, a general discussion took place to explore whether some pieces from the wardrobe of Baroness Thatcher might be added to the V&A’s collection. These conversations did not develop. The V&A would like to make it clear that no formal offer was made for the Museum to acquire the collection."
The gallery told the Guardian that it was responsible for chronicling “fashionable dress” and that its collecting policy is focused on acquiring examples of outstanding aesthetic or technical quality.
“The V&A politely declined the offer of Thatcher’s clothes, feeling that these records of Britain’s political history were best suited to another collection which would focus on their intrinsic social historical value,” it said in a statement.
Was the V&A right to turn down the collection?
Vote in the poll and have your say in the comment box below.
