Club to Catwalk: London fashion in the '80s
If you see one fashion exhibition this summer, make it this - the V&A's ode to London style in the 1980s. Before Club to Catwalk: London Fashion in the 1980s opens, we preview the show highlights. Warning: May contain loud prints and leggings.
The 1980s saw the explosion of the club and the fashion scene in London. Specialist club nights at Heaven and Taboo were as much about the fashion as the music - and experimental young designers like Katherine Hamnett, Vivienne Westwood and John Galliano created pieces to be seen in on and off the dancefloor - like the following jackets created for Blitz magazine.
Denim jacket, 'BLITZ', by Levi Strauss & Co., customised by Vivienne Westwood in 1986
Image: (c) Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Denim jacket, 'BLITZ', by Levi Strauss & Co., customised by Leigh Bowery in 1986
(c) Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Sketch for Levi Strauss & Co. denim jacket, 'BLITZ', by John Galliano in 1986
(c) Victoria and Albert Museum,
Bodymap's loud prints and stretchy fabrics were hugely popular during the period. Stevie Stewart from the label said of the 80s explosion in the club scene: "Each group of people, whether they were fashion designers, musicians or dancers, filmmakers, living together and going out together had a passion for creating something new that was almost infectious".
Bodymap campaign, A/W 1984, Cat in the hat takes a rumble with a techno fish.
(c) 1985 Monica Curtin
The Face, along with i-D and Blitz, documented the fashion and the music scene in 1980s London.
Front cover from The Face (Hell’s Angels Cover), no. 77, September 1986
(c) Eamonn Mccabe
The Cloth, Summer Summit, 1985
(c) Anita Corbin
Joseph jumper, 1985
(c) Victoria and Albert Museum
Silk T-shirt, designed by Katherine Hamnett in 1984
(c) Victoria and Albert Museum, London
British fashion was all about theatricality in the 1980s, with styles such as New Romantic (think Duran Duran) and High Camp the order of the day.
(c) Derek Ridgers
In London, Young designers’ imaginations were sparked by a vibrant London club scene. John Galliano recalled, ‘Thursday and Friday at St Martin’s, the college was almost deserted. Everybody was at home working on their costumes for the weekend’.
At Subway, 1986
(c) Derek Ridgers
Trojan and Mark at Taboo, 1986
(c) Derek Ridgers
Jonathan Batcave, 1983
(c) Derek Ridgers
Joseph Tricot ensemble for Elle, November 1985
(c) Giles Tapie
Club to Catwalk: London Fashion in the 80s runs at the V&A from the 10 July 2013 - 16 February 2014. Book tickets
here .
Leigh Bowery and Gerlinde Costiff at Taboo, 1985
(c) Michael Costiff
