Beaded costumes designed for the Mardi Gras parades in New Orleans by artist and educator Big Chief Demond Melancon were on show at London's V&A museum for London Design Festival.
Two heavily beaded suits designed by the artist were installed in the tapestry galleries at the London museum for the duration of the festival.
Each suit depicts actual and imagined events from African and US history, including a portrait of Haile Selassie and slave ships, picked out in millions of tiny coloured beads that are sewn on by hand.
The suits are finished with a trim of colourful ostrich feathers that form a plumed headdress and edging.

The display was created by the V&A's new curator of festivals, Meneesha Kellay, who told Dezeen that there is a strong synergy between the narratives found in centuries-old tapestries in the gallery and Melancon's work. "As curator of festivals I'm interested in bringing work, like Demond's incredible suits that can be in dialogue with the spaces in the museum," Kellay told Dezeen.
"The intricately hand-sewn beadwork illustrates events from African and American history, and sit in the gallery among the rare tapestries from 1400s, depicting hunting scenes," she continued.
"In contrast, Demond's complex portrayals draw inspiration from indigenous people in America and enslaved Africans. The genesis of the stories are very different, and feature imagery rich with symbolism and meaning."

A feathered yellow suit from 20...