V&A names Preen as next Fashion in Motion designer

Preen by Thornton Bregazzi will be the next featured designer label as part of London’s Victoria & Albert Museum’s Fashion in Motion series.

Design duo Justin Thornton and Thea Bregazzi, who founded Preen by Thornton Bregazzi in 1996, will host four free-to-attend catwalk shows on June 21 featuring a collection of current and archival pieces themed around floral motifs and pagan references to coincide with the Summer Solstice.

“As a west London-based brand, having the V&A on our doorstep is such a blessing - the museum has always been an endless source of inspiration for our designs,” said Thornton and Bregazzi in a statement. “First stop on a visit is always the Ceramics Galleries for the amazing collection of decorated porcelain. Elements of Victorian culture and costume seep into our collections and the floral motifs of the arts and crafts movement often form the basis of our signature prints. We feel honoured to show our work in an institution that has been so formative to Preen’s brand DNA.”

V&A fashion curator, Oriole Cullen, added: “As an important London fashion brand for over two decades, we are delighted to have the opportunity to showcase the work of Preen. It is particularly significant for us as Justin and Thea have drawn so much inspiration from V&A collections over the years.”

The V&A’s Fashion in Motion series has been running for 20 years with the aim of bringing catwalk shows by both up-and-coming and established design talent to the public. Previous designers to have been featured includes Alexander McQueen, Christian Lacroix, Christopher Raeburn, Erdem, Gareth Pugh, Giles Deacon, Grace Wales Bonner, Jean Paul Gaultier, Jenny Packham, Holly Fulton, Missoni, Molly Goddard, Roksanda Ilincic, Vivienne Westwood and Yohji Yamamoto.

Preen by Thornton Bregazzi will take to the catwalk in the museum’s Raphael Gallery on June 21.