Exhibition

Costume Couture: Sixty Years of Cosprop

26 September 2025 - 8 March 2026
Tuesdays - Saturdays, 11.00 - 18.00 (last entry 17.15)

With a National Art Pass you get

50% off entry and exhibitions

From A Room with a View, to Downton Abbey and Peaky Blinders, explore famous costumes from film and television.

‘We entered Cosprop as ourselves and walked out as the person we were playing.’ – Helena Bonham Carter

Cosprop has changed the way that costume is designed and created. Founded by Oscar and BAFTA-winning costume designer John Bright in 1965, legendary London based Cosprop specialises in period costume for film, television and theatre. Through his work as a costume designer, a costumier, maker, advisor, collector and historian, Bright’s intelligence and eye for detail is in thousands of film, television and stage productions.

This once-in-a-lifetime exhibition features many costumes never seen in public before. Helena Bonham Carter in A Room with a View, Meryl Streep in Out of Africa, Maggie Smith in Downton Abbey, Colin Firth as Mr Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, and Leslie Manville in Mrs Harris Goes to Paris. Cosprop is synonymous with dressing iconic characters in award-winning films and television.

This exhibition is a celebration of sixty years of Cosprop’s creativity and a unique opportunity to see behind the scenes of this celebrated costume house. Through stunning costumes, accessories and sketches, the visitor will learn the design and making process from script-to screen. Leading costume designers and actors will share their thoughts on favourite costumes, showing how Cosprop brought these magical moments to life.

‘Actors walk in with just a script and the name of their character. They walk out with that character fully formed in their mind, having brought him or her to life through the angle of a hat, the fabric of a coat or the feel of a pair of shoes.’ – John Bright

This listing is supplied by one of our museum partners and is not moderated by Art Fund.

Get a National Art Pass and explore Fashion and Textile Museum

You'll see more art and your membership will help museums across the UK

National Art Pass offers available at Fashion and Textile Museum

50% off entry and exhibitions
£12.65  £6.33 Standard entry price
IndividualTiana Clarke Please note this is an example card and not a reflection of the final product

Visitor information

Address

Fashion and Textile Museum

83 Bermondsey Street, London, Greater London, SE1 3XF
020 7407 8664

Opening times

Tuesday: 11am - 6pm
Wednesday: 11am – 6pm
Thursday: 11am – 6pm
Friday: 11am – 6pm
Saturday: 11am – 6pm
Last entry: 45 minutes before closing

Sunday & Monday: closed

Exclusions and safety measures

We look forward to welcoming you to the Fashion and Textile Museum, the UK’s only museum dedicated to showcasing contemporary fashion and textile design.

In place of a permanent display, the Museum hosts a diverse programme of temporary exhibitions, displaying a broad range of innovative fashion and textiles from designers and makers around the world.

Discover our current exhibition, check out our programme of events including talks, workshops and digital design courses, and explore how you can support the Museum.

Visitor information