Whilst we were in London recently, we visited the From Club to Catwalk: London Fashion in the 80s exhibition at the Victoria & Albert museum.
The exhibition explores the creative explosion of London fashion in the 1980s. It features the work of designers Betty Jackson, Timney Fowler, Wendy Dagworthy, Helen David for English Eccentrics, John Galliano and Rifat Ozbek, who all went on to become increasingly successful internationally and shows the creative relationship between catwalk and club wear, and the emerging theatricality in fashion, reflected in magazines such as i-D and Blitz.
Lots of the outfits displayed were made specifically to be worn at clubs such as Heaven and Taboo – creations designed and worn by the flamboyant clubber Leigh Bowery, glamorous dresses designed specifically for men, studded biker outfits by Pam Hogg and Katharine Hamnett, customised denim jackets by Vivienne Westwood and Richmond Cornejo and exuberant knitwear by Joseph, Artwork and Bodymap.
The exhibition is on until the 16 February 2014
- Installation image of From Club to Catwalk: London Fashion in the 1980s © Victoria & Albert Museum, London
- Joseph Tricot ensemble Date: Elle, November 1985 © Giles Tapie
- Installation image of From Club to Catwalk: London Fashion in the 1980s © Victoria & Albert Museum, London
- Installation image of From Club to Catwalk: London Fashion in the 1980s © Victoria & Albert Museum, London
- © Victoria & Albert Museum, London
- © Victoria & Albert Museum, London
- Denim jacket, ‘BLITZ’, by Levi Strauss & Co., customised by Vivienne Westwood Date: 1986 © Victoria & Albert Museum, London
- Sketch for Levi Strauss & Co. denim jacket, ‘BLITZ’, by John Galliano Date: 1986 © Victoria & Albert Museum, London
- Jonathan Batcave Date: 1983 © Derek Ridgers
- At Subway Date: 1986 © Derek Ridgers
- © Derek Ridgers
- Trojan and Mark at Taboo Date: 1986 © Derek Ridgers
- Silk T-shirt, designed by Katherine Hamnett Date: 1984 © Victoria & Albert Museum, London
- Joseph jumper Date: 1985 © Victoria & Albert Museum, London
- Front cover from The Face (Hell‚Äôs Angels Cover) Artist: Lloyd Johnson gold jacket, on display in exhibition Date: The Face, no. 77, September 1986 © Eamonn Mccabe
- The Cloth, Summer Summit Date: 1985 © Anita Corbin
- Bodymap, A/W 1984, Cat in the hat takes a rumble with a techno fish. Model: Scarlett Cannon Date: 1985 © 1985 Monica Curtin
- Leigh Bowery and Gerlinde Costiff at Taboo, London Date: 1985 © Michael Costiff