The Fashion Museum Bath has announced that the selector of Dress of the Year 2019 will be Donna Wallace, Fashion and Accessories Editor at British Vogue.
Donna Wallace | Photo © Victoria Adamson
Each year, the Fashion Museum invites a top name from the fashion industry to select an outfit that encapsulates the prevailing mood of fashion, represents the past year and captures the imagination.
The chosen design becomes part of the Fashion Museum’s world-class collection and goes on display in the museum galleries.
Donna Wallace said: “I am so honoured to have been asked to be this year’s selector for the Dress of the Year. It has been so interesting to look back and see just how much has happened in 2019.”
Rosemary Harden, Fashion Museum Curator, said: “This is a fabulous moment for the Fashion Museum’s Dress of the Year scheme and we are thrilled that Donna, a key figure in the new team at British Vogue under the editorship of Edward Enninful, has agreed to choose the Dress of the Year 2019.
“The Dress of the Year scheme has been going now for over 50 years, since the museum first opened in the Assembly Rooms in 1963.
“All of the selections form an unparalleled collection of the looks that set the trends in the last half century of fashion history. Only to be seen in Bath!
“I can’t wait to see the look that Donna has chosen as Dress of the Year 2019, keeping the collection modern, fresh and up to date, for all visitors to enjoy; Donna’s choice will be on display here at the Fashion Museum in just a couple of weeks’ time, from 30 November.”
In 2017, Ghanaian-born Edward Enninful was appointed as Editor-in-Chief of British Vogue. He was the first man to hold the position.
The Guardian newspaper noted: ‘A strong advocate of diversity in the industry, Enninful has spoken of his desire to promote greater racial inclusivity in Vogue.’
In 2018, under Enninful’s visionary stewardship, Donna Wallace joined the masthead as one of the editor’s new appointments. Wallace has more than 10 years’ experience in the industry.
Previous Dress of the Year selectors have included some of the leading lights in fashion over the decades – from senior fashion editors to ground-breaking stylists to those that have changed the face of fashion retail: Isabella Blow, Mrs Burstein (Browns), Stephen Jones and Katie Grand (LOVE) have all previously been invited by the Fashion Museum to choose the Dress of the Year.
The Dress of the Year 2019 will go on display at the Fashion Museum from Saturday 30th November 2019.
