Club To Catwalk: London Fashion in the 1980s, V&A - exhibition review

The exhibition's inhabitants, once wild, bold and experimental students, graduates and self-trained geniuses, transformed the decade with their inventive new designs, clothes and accessories. Many ? including Vivienne Westwood, Betty Jackson, Paul Smith, Pam Hogg and the political radical, Katherine Hamnett ? are still stirring change. In the Eighties, pop stars like Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet and Boy George performed for the wackiest catwalk models, seen on film clips here, while the designers mingled with the new magazines ? the Face, Blitz and i-D ? graphic designers and photographers.

Club to Catwalk sadly inhabits a smaller space than Bowie?s but it carries the story well via the dressed mannequins, scattered photographs and sketches of designs. Of the two floors in use, the ground introduces early works on dressed models in glass cabinets. The mezzanine above contains black catwalks supporting mannequins clad from the era?s categories of High Camp, Fetish, Classic, Rave and Goth. Adam Ant?s pirate image is still worn today; Pam Hogg?s rubber outfits brought fetish wear into the open, and Boy George?s costumes transmitted fearlessness of exposing cross-dressing. Most intriguingly brilliant is work by the late Leigh Bowery, the Dada-esque performance artist and designer whose customized denim jacket for Levi Strauss & Co?s open competition, was a magical creation, jangling with gold hair grips as he shimmied on catwalks in front of cameras.

The exhibition?s small Club Room runs myriad screens carrying looped films from the legendary clubs, including Blitz and Taboo. The artist and cartoonist Trojan (Gary Barnes) was photographed there by Derek Ridgers (future Face magazine regular). Trojan and Mark at Taboo, 1986, highlights their clown-like make-up and Regency costumes. Other new magazine photographers included the Guardian?s future chief, Eamonn McCabe, who shot Blitz covers.

Viewing the changes over the decades and the surprising closeness as well, two generations will carry different responses, but surprisingly, many current styles are inhabiting every high street clothes shop.

Until 16 February (020 7907 7073,? vam.ac.uk). Accompanying book From Club to Catwalk: 80s Fashion, edited by Sonnet Stanfill, V & A Publishing.

Source: http://www.standard.co.uk/goingout/exhibitions/club-to-catwalk-london-fashion-in-the-1980s-va--exhibition-review-8699587.html

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