Hollywood star Alan Cumming has submitted a costume he wore while hosting the US version of The Traitors to the V&A Dundee as it launches a call for people to lend treasured objects to go on show. The museum is inviting people to help tell the story of Scottish design by submitting items for display from 2028 in the museum’s reimagined Scottish Design Galleries.
Cumming’s donation and design details
Cumming has submitted the first object, a costume from The Traitors US, along with one worn by his dog Lala. The outfit, from season four of the show, was created by Scottish designer Siobhan Mackenzie in collaboration with costume designer Sam Spector. It features a tartan chest plate with a crystal sgian dubh knife impaling the heart area, which is surrounded by a red crystal “wound”, a matching tartan kilt and a sweeping metallic red silk chiffon plaid.
Cumming’s statement on Scottish design
Cumming, also known for roles including Nightcrawler in the Avengers film series, said: “I love this Siobhan Mackenzie look so much because it’s got all these things I love about Scotland in it: tradition, daring, romanticism, camp and theatricality all rolled into one. V&A Dundee, to me, stands for Scottish excellence in design and the arts. I think what we’re really good at in Scotland is staying in touch with our tradition but also looking to the future and being progressive in terms of what we see as our Scottishness in the now. It’s lovely to be part of a celebration of Scottish excellence and also, of course, my dog Lala’s outfit being in the galleries too is just the icing on the cake. So everybody, what would you like to see at V&A Dundee? What Scottish design object would you like to see displayed there and why? We really, really want to hear from you – it’s your museum, after all – and what you’d like to see represented from the world of Scottish design.”
Public call for submissions
The museum is urging people to submit items that make them think of Scotland and what it means to be Scottish, which could be anything from pieces of clothing to personal souvenirs and family keepsakes. It said no object or story is too small or too big to be submitted on loan. Leonie Bell, director of V&A Dundee, said: “We want to hear from you. V&A Dundee is Scotland’s design museum and we want to share many different stories of Scotland that are told through the objects we hold dear. From the most cherished keepsakes to the fashion of your rebellious youth, we want to represent what Scotland means to you through the objects that you have collected through your lives. How does the object make you feel? What memories does it bring back, or what wishes does it hold for the future? Does the item reflect your personal or a collective identity? We want to open up the range of design on display so that all our visitors can enjoy a wider, more inspiring look into the many different communities and people that make Scotland so diverse, vibrant and creative.”
Display timeline and funding
The objects chosen to go on display when the redesigned galleries open in 2028 will be co-curated by V&A Dundee and a community panel. Submissions of personal objects to be included can be made by email to [email protected] until August 31. The redesign is supported by £2.6 million of UK Government funding and additional private fundraising.
