https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2756-9024
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Abstract
The Westminster Menswear Archive (WMA) was established in 2016 as a specialized teaching and research collection focused on menswear. Addressing the historical underrepresentation of menswear in fashion archives, the WMA has rapidly grown into a vital resource for both academic and industry research. This article explores the archive’s origins, collection strategy, and its pivotal role in supporting design education, research, and industry engagement. Through key acquisitions, including garments from designers like Alexander McQueen and Massimo Osti, the WMA highlights menswear’s diverse evolution, from military uniforms to high fashion. The archive has also contributed to significant exhibitions, including Invisible Men (2019) and Umbro 100: Sportswear x Fashion (2024). This paper outlines the challenges the WMA faces, such as managing rapid collection growth and expanding digital access, while underscoring its critical role in shaping the future of menswear studies.
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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Andrew Groves
Andrew Groves is Professor of Fashion Design at the University of Westminster, and Director of the Westminster Menswear Archive, which he founded in 2016. He is the Principal Investigator of the AHRC-funded Locating Menswear network. Groves has co-curated several notable exhibitions, including Invisible Men: An Anthology from the Westminster Menswear Archive (2019), Undercover (2021), and Umbro 100: Sportswear x Fashion (2024). Groves is the coauthor of the book Inside the Westminster Menswear Archive, published by Bloomsbury in 2024. grovesa@westminster.ac.uk
Danielle Sprecher
Dr Danielle Sprecher is the curator of the Westminster Menswear Archive at the University of Westminster, London. She is a historian whose research focuses on the history of British menswear and men’s fashion, exploring the industry from design to production and final consumption. As a curator, she has worked with several historical dress collections across the United Kingdom. Sprecher has co-curated several notable exhibitions, including Invisible Men: An Anthology from the Westminster Menswear Archive (2019), Undercover (2021), and Umbro 100: Sportswear x Fashion (2024). Sprecher is the coauthor of the book Inside the Westminster Menswear Archive, published by Bloomsbury in 2024. d.sprecher@westminster.ac.uk