STATUESQUE: Sprinkled among the classical sculptures of the V&A - mostly representing white men and women - we can now see busts and statues of Black every-men and women by Thomas J Price. They are composites of multiple individuals. Price doesn't want them to memorialise individuals the way statues have done historically. The artist visited the museum as a child, but now, he and countless others can feel seen. A powerful collection of works in the perfect setting.
CHIC COUTURE: When it comes to fashion blockbusters, nobody does it better than V&A. At Gabrielle Chanel: Fashion Manifesto, there are glam outfits galore; double height vitrines crammed with Chanel numbers, while other swish garments parade down a staircase. Chanel's style was always about elegance, and that's mirrored in this exhibition's design; while the Dior and Alexander McQueen went big, this feels more restrained and tailored to the couture-savvy audience. Still, it's mightily impressive. Tickets are hard to come by (it sold out on day 1), but watch out for occasional extra ticket releases.
REBELLIOUS FASHION: Chanel isn't the only major fashion show in town. If you're looking for the opposite end of the style spectrum, head to the Design Museum for Rebel: 30 Years of London Fashion. It's packed with punky, flamboyant designs that flaunt the anarchic (or should that be anar- chic?) creativity of the metropolis' designers. This is fashion at its edgiest and most innovative - including Sam Smith's inflatable latex suit and Bjork's swan dress, plus a mirror that allows you to apply filters to give yourself a bold new look.
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