Modernism in design and architecture emerged in the aftermath of the First World War and the Russian Revolution – a period when the artistic avant-garde dreamed of a new world free from history and tradition.

During the years between the World Wars, Modernist design and art shared certain underlying principles: a rejection of decoration and applied ornament; a preference for abstraction; and a belief that design and technology could transform society.

This utopian spirit pervades the V&A's collection: from everyday objects to feats of technological inspiration.