Labubus to burkinis: V&A unveils updated 21st-century design galleries

February 14, 2026

TL;DR

The V&A's Design 1990-Now galleries have reopened with 250 exhibits, including 60 new additions.
The galleries are organized thematically, covering areas like housing, living, crisis, conflict, and consumption and identity.
Exhibits include the first baby monitor, Nigeria's 2018 World Cup kit, Edward Snowden's computer parts, and a Labubu toy.
The displays demonstrate how design reflects and repeats history, such as comparing posters on racial injustice from different decades.
11 objects were sourced from the Rapid Response scheme, allowing public suggestions for contemporary items.
The galleries aim to inform understanding of today through the past and consider the role of design in shaping a desired future.
Examples of design's impact include an Ikea lamp, an early Apple home computer, a burkini, and carbon-fibre rope for tall buildings.
The final section focuses on data and communication, featuring Snowden's laptop as a representation of contestation in the digital public realm.
The V&A intends for the galleries to be discursive and expansive, celebrating design in its broadest sense and encouraging varied reactions.
Objects displayed range from familiar items like iPhones and football shirts to surprising ones like the Labubu toy.

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