London's newest museum, the Fashion and Textiles Museum (FTM) is scheduled to open on 12 May.

The museum is the brainchild and life-long dream of designer, Zandra Rhodes who wanted to create a national centre to display the changes in fashion and textiles and to educate a wider audience in the craft and technique of design.

Housed in a converted warehouse in Bermondsey, south east London and designed by Ricardo Legorreta, FTM consists of about 5,000sq ft of multi-level exhibition space including the Grand Pink Foyer, the Fashion Archway, the Grand Gallery and the Upper Floor Exhibition Hall.

The core of the permanent collection of garments and textiles is the 3000 original items donated by Rhodes - along with her archive collection of the working process from paper design to finished article - and FTM is actively acquiring further material to expand the collection.

There will also be a series of rotating exhibitions exploring themes of fashion, textiles and photography, covering a range of subjects from the fashion scene both recent past and current and celebrating individual artists and their work.

The first of the exhibitions, entitled My Favourite Dress, opens on 12 May and features contributions from Jasper Conran, Oscar de le Renta, Dolce & Gabbana, Stella McCartney, Vivienne Westwood and Donatella Versace.

FTM will also be establishing an Educational Trust to raise awareness of the learning and skills required in the industry.

The site includes a café/restaurant and gift and bookshop and is available for corporate entertainment. Details: www.ftmlondon.org