Someone call the fashion waaambulance! The world’s largest spider silk robe is on display and we can’t see it because we’re stuck behind a desk here in NYC!
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The gorgeous garment is on display at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, renowned for its more conventional exhibitions.
Reports say that textile gets its mysterious glow from the undyed filaments of the golden orb spider, a species of arachnid commonly found in Madagascar. Only the females produce the coveted silk.
It takes about 23,000 to produce 1 ounce of silk and it’s not farfetched to say that their textiles are among the world’s most rare and precious objects—liquid gold, even.
Gossamer light, the above cape features intricate embroidered and appliquéd motifs that “celebrate the spider in myth and metaphor,” according to a V&A press release.
On view from January 25 to June 5, 2012. More detail of the cape can be seen below.
Detail of Spider silk textile.
