{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1803102"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1803102/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2026PM9373/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2026PM9373/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2026PM9373","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2026PM9374","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2026PM9379","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2026PM9380","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2026PM9381","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2026PM9378","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2026PM9377","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2026PM9375","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2026PM4146","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2026PM4147","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1803102/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1803102","accessionNumber":"T.138:1 to 2-2025","objectType":"Dress","titles":[{"title":"‘AIDS Ribbon Dress’","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"Named Designer of the Year at the 2014 Africa Fashion Awards, Marianne Fassler opened her first shop in 1976, having taken design and pattern-cutting classes alongside her university studies. She named the shop Leopard Frock, a play on Leopard Rock, a popular place name in South Africa, and a neat allusion to what would become distinctive features of her work: her love of African design and leopard print and her belief in the importance of fun in fashion. The South African designer – who has offered ready-to-wear and bespoke womenswear from several Johannesburg bases – also became known for engaging with topical subjects and celebrating ethical, sustainable production. The atelier’s use of leftover fabrics suited its pattern mixing aesthetic, another of Fassler’s hallmarks.\n\r\nFassler, who has referenced ‘the practice of “dumping” used and unsold garments on to the African market’, repurposed a number of items to make the impactful ‘AIDS Ribbon Dress’ which the South African actor Terry Pheto wore for the 2006 Academy Awards. Using a commercially available corset and cashmere from a second-hand jumper as a base, Fassler dyed a piece of silk tulle from a vintage wedding veil and applied it to the bodice to resemble the red awareness ribbon worn to support and remember those impacted by HIV/AIDS. She supersized the recognisable motif, which often takes the form of a small pin, to get the point across. Fassler noted that at ‘a time when Aids denialism’ was rife in South Africa, ‘I used the global platform of the Oscars red carpet to draw the attention of the world to South Africa’s AIDS epidemic.’ This standout red carpet moment was widely reported in international fashion coverage.\r\n","physicalDescription":"Full-length dress made up of a bustier and skirt. \n\r\nThe boned bustier, made from an existing corset, has thin straps and a sweetheart neckline. It has been constructed using a range of fabrics including loose knit brown wool (from a cashmere sweater) which covers the outside and hangs down in irregular points with raw edges. This creates a peplum. Strips of silk tulle (from a veil) have been dyed red and applied on both the front and the back, creating the impression of ribbons which hang down well below the bodice. The bodice closes at the back using hook and eye fastenings. There are two rows of eyes.\n\r\nThe full tulle skirt falls in an A-line shape. Most of the dip-dyed tulle is burgundy while the bottom portion is bright red. Numerous lines of bright red top stitching go down the skirt. There is a red zip with brown trimming at the waistband.\r\n","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Marianne Fassler","id":"AUTH392831"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"cashmere","id":"AAT192990"},{"text":"silk","id":"AAT14072"},{"text":"tulle","id":"AAT256611"}],"techniques":[{"text":"appliqué","id":"AAT53646"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"cashmere, silk tulle, dip-dyed tulle","categories":[{"text":"Fashion","id":"THES48957"},{"text":"Womenswear","id":"THES49044"},{"text":"Politics","id":"THES48908"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&F","id":"THES48601"},"images":["2026PM9373","2026PM9374","2026PM9379","2026PM9380","2026PM9381","2026PM9378","2026PM9377","2026PM9375","2026PM4146","2026PM4147"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES404195"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES404195"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Bustier","id":"AAT224940"}],[{"text":"Skirt","id":"AAT209932"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Johannesburg","id":"x32784"},"association":{"text":"designed and made","id":"x39722"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"2006","earliest":"2006-01-01","latest":"2006-12-31"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":"Bespoke for the 2006 Academy Awards"}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Marianne Fassler","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","value":"95","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Bustier","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"20","unit":"cm","qualifier":"bustier across waist","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Bustier","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"36","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Bustier","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"103","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Skirt","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"40","unit":"cm","qualifier":"skirt across waist","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Skirt","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"110","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"Skirt","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"measured by curatorial","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"‘Marianne Fassler / MADE IN AFRICA’","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"black rectangular label with white text "}],"objectHistory":"This dress was made bespoke for Terry Pheto to wear to the 2006 Academy Awards hosted in Los Angeles, United States. <i>Tsotsi</i>, in which the South African actor starred, won the Best Foreign Film category. The dress was based on one Fassler had made for another collection. She used a commercially available corset and a second-hand cashmere jumper and silk tulle wedding veil for the bodice, dying a piece of the veil red and shaping it to resemble the red awareness ribbon worn to support and remember those impacted by HIV/AIDS. The skirt was made from dip-dyed tulle. The dress gained considerable attention in fashion reports about the event. It formed part of the designer’s archive before Fassler donated it to the V&A.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"‘AIDS Ribbon Dress’, consisting of a bustier and skirt, repurposed corset, cashmere sweater and silk tulle veil with dip-dyed tulle, Marianne Fassler, Johannesburg, South Africa, bespoke, 2006","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Booklet provided by Marianne Fassler in 2025"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["T.138:1-2025","T.138:2-2025"],"accessionNumberNum":"138","accessionNumberPrefix":"T","accessionYear":2025,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-04-30","recordCreationDate":"2025-04-17","availableToBook":false}}