Golden Spider Cloth

From 25th January the V&A will be displaying a golden cape woven from the silk of more than a million female golden orb spiders. Creators Simon Peers and Nick Godley spent four years transforming this magical yarn into a mythical garment.
Heavily decorated using an array of embroidered and appliquéd motifs, there are hints of an Islamic pattern Peers found on fragments of tiles. However, you don’t have to look too closely to realise it’s dominated by arachnids. The design, says Peers, is about ‘looking into different cultures and societies that have seen the spider as the creator of the cosmos.’ The pair chose to make the cape for a number of reasons. ‘There was a nod to the superhero,’ explains Peers. ‘But also the cape is a ritualistic garment worn in rites. And finally, it’s a wonderful canvas. It’s a large area you can work on.’
The cape is naturally golden and was hand-woven. Very rarely does one get the opportunity to be in the presence of such an ethereal fabric