Behind the Lens: Ana Margarita Flores on Shooting Patterns in Play for Petit Pli
That’s right! We visited V&A South Kensington for a shoot of a lifetime, inviting LittleHumans to wander its galleries in search of wonder. Patterns in Play celebrates 5,000 years of creativity seen through their eyes, full of play, curiosity and discovery.
Step behind the scenes of our shoot with award‑winning photographer Ana Margarita Flores, who captured the spirit of Clothes That Grow amongst the museum’s inspiring collections.
Welcoming Patterns in Play into the world
In collaboration with the V&A, Petit Pli has adapted three artworks from the museum’s archives by Mary Yonge (1908-2010), Kathleen Kersey (b. 1889) and Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) into limited-edition Clothes That Grow.
Each piece becomes more than a garment: it’s a playful guide to design history. Hidden‑in‑the‑scene details are tucked among the pleats, inviting LittleHumans to spot shapes, colours, and stories as they explore the museum, as both: a place of wonder and inspiration.
Behind the Lens: Introducing Ana Margarita Flores
Ana Margarita Flores is a Peruvian‑Swiss photographer and London College of Fashion graduate whose work has been recognised by platforms including It's Nice That, Creative Review’s Gradwatch and AnOther Magazine marking her as one of the most exciting emerging voices in contemporary image‑making.
Her practice moves fluidly between fashion, portraiture, and documentary, with a style that balances intimacy and strength while remaining deeply attuned to context.
Drawing inspiration from her Latin American heritage and the visual language of cinema, Flores creates photographs that feel both poetic and precise.
Ana’s images often explore themes of identity, memory, and belonging, using light, texture, and composition to reveal quiet moments of discovery.
Whether capturing the delicacy of a gesture or the grandeur of a cultural space, her work invites viewers to look closer, uncover hidden layers, and experience photography as a bridge between personal story and collective history.
Location: Paintings, Room 82, The Edwin and Susan Davies Galleries
Shot by Ana Margarita Flores
Q: Which aspects of your photographic style came through most strongly in this project?
I think the sense of intimacy and observation. I like creating space for quiet gestures, letting things happen naturally rather than forcing them.
Q: What do you hope viewers, especially families and LittleHumans, take away when they see these photographs?
I hope they see the joy of discovery. That sense of wonder you have as a child, when everything feels new and full of possibilities. Maybe it reminds parents of that too, how important it is to stay curious, to play, and to see things from a different perspective.
Location: Medieval & Renaissance, Room 50a, The Paul and Jill Ruddock Gallery
Shot by Ana Margarita Flores
Q: What story or feeling were you hoping to capture in this image?
For me it was about creating a dialogue between the children and the space, showing how history and imagination can meet. I wanted the image to feel like a small story unfolding inside this huge, monumental setting.
Q: What did you most enjoy about photographing inside this particular gallery?
I loved how layered it felt, the textures, the sculptures, the light. It’s such a rich environment, and photographing children there brought a really fresh energy to it. It was nice to see them move so freely in a space that’s usually crowded during the day.
Q: How did the collaboration with the V&A and Petit Pli inspire or push your practice in new directions?
Working with Petit Pli pushed me to think about movement and play in a new way. And shooting inside the V&A challenged me to balance that playfulness with the museum’s stillness. It taught me to be flexible, to adapt quickly to the kids’ rhythm and the light, and to find beauty in those spontaneous moments.
Location: Cromwell Road Stairway Entrance
Shot by Ana Margarita Flores
Q: Referring to campaigns shot list and art direction, please describe your creative thinking behind this photograph.
For this image, I wanted to pause the movement and let a quiet gesture speak. She had been running around, and then suddenly sat on the stairs, completely absorbed in her own little world. I didn’t direct her, I just created the space for that moment to unfold naturally. That’s something I love exploring in my work: allowing stillness and spontaneity to meet. The contrast between her softness and the marble surroundings made the scene feel calm but full of emotion.
Q: How did the museum setting influence your creative choices, from framing to light?
The museum really shaped how we had to work. We were literally running behind the kids with our continuous light, sometimes mixing it with the light that was available. Even with the equipment, we were a bit limited, but that pushed us to play and adapt on the spot.
Framing-wise, I wanted a mix of perspectives, some shots that stay at the children’s level, to really be in their world, and others that show the vastness of the rooms and the art surrounding them. That contrast helps tell a fuller story: how these tiny figures could somehow take over such a grand space. I also like being close when I shoot, sometimes interacting with them, so it feels more alive and connected.
Q: How did working with children shape the shoot, both the challenges and the unexpected joys?
It was intense but in the best way. You can’t fully control children’s energy, so you have to embrace unpredictability. That’s what made it fun. Their curiosity brought so much authenticity to the images, they remind you to let go and just be present.
Shot by Samuel Feroleto
Thank you to Ana Margarita Flores for bringing Patterns in Play to life inside the V&A’s galleries. Your lens captured not only the garments but the spirit of discovery that runs through every pleat of Clothes That Grow!
The Patterns in Play collection is now available to explore in person at Petit Pli’s Flagship at Battersea Power Station, as well as online.