Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. dedicated to
    • ex. This poem is dedicated to my family.
  2. an outfit
    • ex. I bought a new outfit for my friend’s wedding.
  3. a curator
    • ex. The curator knows all about the paintings displayed in the museum.
  4. a boutique
    • ex. The boutiques in this area only sell accessories from famous fashion designers.
  5. sensational
    • ex. The dance group’s performance was sensational. Each member performed well.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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A major new exhibition dedicated to the life and works of Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel has just opened at London’s V&A Museum. It shows many more of the famous French designer’s less popular works. About 200 outfits are seen together for the first time. Thanks to the curators who followed Chanel’s long career from the start of her boutique in Paris in 1910 to her final collection in 1971.

The exhibition starts with one of the first Chanel clothing that still exists. It is a simple cream top from 1916 made from silk jersey. This fabric was used for underwear and stockings before. Aside from this, the exhibition also includes her famous little black dresses. American Vogue magazine predicted that this dress was what “all the world will wear.”

Also on display are the outfits that were created for Hollywood stars. Some sections show Chanel’s popular perfumes and handbags. Tristram Hunt, the V&A’s director, said the museum hoped that the new display would follow the successes of previous sensational fashion exhibitions of Christian Dior and Alexander McQueen. The exhibition is open until Feb. 25.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Museums and Exhibitions

  • London’s V&A Museum has an exhibition dedicated to Coco Chanel. In your opinion, what kind of people will visit this exhibition? Discuss.
  • In your country, what is the most interesting museum? Why? Discuss.
  • Imagine you are a curator. What would be the topic of your exhibition? Why? Discuss.

Fashion Brands

  • Are you interested in buying products from popular fashion brands? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Why do you think some fashion brands sell products at a high price? Discuss.
  • Imagine you are starting a business in fashion. What kinds of products are you going to sell? Discuss.