EXPLORE | Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty @ V&A

Having booked the tickets near on a year ago, it's safe to say the anticipation for this exhibition had brewed to bursting. It was expected that the display would be a spectacle, what with it being my favourite designer and having received incredible reviews when at the MET in New York, but I didn't expect it to take my breath away in such a fashion.
Walking in you're greeted by a projection of the iconic designer before meandering through the rooms exploring the various influences on his dark and maverick creations...

A ROMANTIC MIND

photo credit: Dazed Digital

Renowned for boundless creativity and originality, McQueen is described as 'an exemplar of the Romantic individual' with reference to the translation of his vivid imagination into his designs. This stripped back setting featured mannequins of McQueen's exquisite tailoring and his very first collections, a nod to his time on Saville Row, East End upbringing and time at London's legendary Central Saint Martins where he mastered his talent. It was clear to see how these were the roots of his legacy.

‘You’ve got to know the rules to break them. That’s what I’m here for, to demolish the rules but to keep the tradition.’ - Alexander McQueen

A GOTHIC MIND

photo credit: fashiontimes

photo credit: BBC

This room was displayed in cases finished with ornate golden frames containing mannequins with feathered mohicans or leather face masks. Gothic slants, historical influence and a fetish slant were always a dark vein running through McQueen's creative flow and this vampy collection is true testimony to this. Leather, bygone shapes and exquisite details were all core to this theme.

‘People find my things sometimes aggressive. But I don’t see it as aggressive. I see it as romantic, dealing with a dark side of personality.’ - Alexander McQueen 

ROMANTIC PRIMITIVISM

photo credit: Dezeen

I loved the defined contrast of each room as our next stop on our journey through the world of McQueen was a skull covered chamber which coveted the idea of a tribal theme channelled through his collections. As the drumbeat thumped, an illuminated orb in the ceiling shed light across primitive, savage creations crafted from hair, leathers and even taxidermy.

photo credit: Dezeen

ROMANTIC NATIONALISM

photo credit: Telegraph 

The next room had a regal atmosphere and paid ode to McQueen's Scottish heritage and repeated use of the MacQueen tartan. On the right were ornate red and white gowns, fit for any princess, whilst standing opposite were a tartan clad line up. Clearly a nod to Scotland vs. England, it was a fascination with both nation's history that was a fuel for design.

photo credit: IBtimes

CABINET OF CURIOSITIES

photo credit: BT

By far the highlight of my visit, the cabinet of curiosities made my eyes wide and my mind explode. A treasure chest of fetishistic apparel, accessories and shoes, from the iconic Armaillo heels to bejewelled bodices and silver thorn headpieces. Amongst the display cases were video screens which played McQueen's experimental runway shows and a centrepiece of his famous spray dress concept from his SS99 show. It was this room that it really hit what this exhibition was celebrating.

‘I find beauty in the grotesque, like most artists. I have to force people to look at things’ - Alexander McQueen 

KATE MOSS HOLOGRAM

photo credit: Creative Review

Plucked from the AW06/07 runway finale, the famous 'hologram' spectre of Kate Moss appearing in a glass pyramid was a breathtaking sight. His shows were more than a runway and to be treated to this enchanting visual was mesmerising.

ROMANTIC EXOTICISM 

photo credit: Dazed Digital

Breaking the boundaries between East and West and exotic influence was the motive which formed this mirrored collection. As the mannequins rotated, the Japanese shapes and structures were evident, in particular McQueen's favourited kimono.

VOSS

photo credit: Mirror

With a focus on the SS01 show, VOSS (also known as the Asylum show) recreated the finale where a plus size exotic writer, covered in moths, was revealed in a two-way mirror cube posing the thought-provoking question of what beauty really is.

'It was about trying to trap something that wasn’t conventionally beautiful to show that beauty comes from within.' - Alexander McQueen

ROMANTIC NATURALISM

photo credit: museumsandheritage

Whether inspiring his designs or literally forming them, the magic of nature was an underlying thread running through a multitude of McQueen collections. Frocks adorned with fresh flowers and gowns solely created from shells and feathers, this was raw and romantic. The full floral gown was a strong contender for my favourite piece of the whole exhibition.

‘I have always loved the mechanics of nature and to a greater or lesser extent my work is always informed by that.’ - Alexander McQueen

If I could wear one item of clothing for the rest of my life, it may very well be this...

PLATO'S ATLANTIS

photo credit: high50

The finale of Savage Beauty was futuristic Plato's Atlantis (SS10) where the star of the show was THAT Armadillo shoe. Music pumped, the show's backing video writhed in the background giving you a second to allow the entirety of exhibition to sink in.

‘Plato’s Atlantis predicted a future in which the ice cap would melt, the waters would rise and life on earth would have to evolve in order to live beneath the sea once more or perish. Humanity would go back to the place from whence it came.’ - Alexander McQueen 

Savage Beauty - part tribute, part retrospective, all incredible.

NB: These images have been sourced from other sites/publications as photos were not permitted by V&A to general admissions to the exhibit. All original links are provided.  

EXPLORE | V&A Club to Catwalk: London Fashion in the 1980s

Last month, the iconic V&A museum opened their Club to Catwalk: London Fashion in the 1980s exhibition.

The 1980s was a poignant era in fashion history. It saw the birth of London Fashion Week and institutes such as the British Fashion Council. It was a period of social and economic unrest which from which formed subcultures and fashion genres such as the Punk and Goth and the club scene exploded.

The fashion exhibition area was brimming with iconic designers who were key to the decade. Statement snippets of Vivienne Westwood, Betty Jackson, Katherine Hamnett, John Galliano and Paul Smith amongst others were encased behind the glass panels on the ground floor. At this time, London style became defined as individual in its own right. Designer Georgina Godley described 80s London as “all about taking risks and creating something out of nothing through passion and ambition,” and this is evident through these designers and their creations.

Climbing the stairs and faced with a mirror questioning ‘would you let you in?’ the top floor of the exhibition takes you to the iconic Blitz club with a queue of mannequins dressed in trends of the time. Inside the Blitz booth is a series of screens playing a montage of 80s club footage, creating an atmospheric feel. This level focuses on the different rebellious subcultures which seemed to form in this decade. Punk, headed by Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren, has a consistently heavy influence on recurring anarchic fashion trends to this day. Goth again is still a strong force and combines elements of punk and fetish. The ‘Ravers’ captured a sensationalist attitude full of metallic and day glo whilst the New Romantics channeled an androgynous vibe pioneered by the likes of Boy George and David Bowie.

This exhibition truly transports you back to the 1980s and educates on the fashion and popular culture of the time. Eighties influence on current trends is a frequent reoccurrence so seeing how it was done the first time round is a great insight for future fashion. Club to Catwalk is the perfect compliment to the constantly sold out David Bowie retrospective which is also at the museum until the 11th August 2013.

The event will run until February 2014 with tickets costing just £5.00 so there’s plenty of time to check it out.

Have you visited the V&A Club to Catwalk exhibition? What did you think?

EXPLORE | Bath Fashion Museum: Fifty Fabulous Frocks Exhibition

FROCK:- historically referred to an article of clothing; in the 17th Century specifically a workman's outergarment. In the 18th Century a man's loose fitting coat; a religious robe; more typically a woman's dress.

To celebrate its fiftieth anniversary, the Bath Fashion Museum has delved deep into its archives to present a glorious gown per each year of its existence. The collection covered the eccentric, contemporary and historical capturing decades and designers in an enjoyable collection of iconic apparel. The Fifty Fabulous Frocks exhibition opened its doors on February 2^nd to celebrate half a century of Bath’s hidden fashion gem.

Last week, after a birthday brunch at deliciously decorated The Cosy Club, I made my way through the city's streets up to the museum, camera in tow.

The Edwardian Champagne Dress, Designer Unknown.

Greeted at the entrance by an Edwardian Champagne Dress it was a promising welcome whilst spending the rest of the visit amongst Ossie Clark, Vivienne Westwood and other designer greats was more than pleasurable company.

Below are a selection from this exquisite collection. The exhibition is open until the end of the year and is a must see for any fancy frock fanatics. 

L: 1970s Troubador Kaftan Dress R: Burberry Prorsum Trenchcoat

L-R: 1960s Andre Courreges//1933 Mme Handley-Seymour//1971 Ossie Clark//1991 Comme des Garcons//1988 Vivienne Westwood//2009 Erdem

Fifty Fabulous Frocks

L-R: 1920s Callot Soeurs//1930s Unknown//1860s Unknown//1990s Jean Paul Gaultier.

L-R: 1990s Vivienne Westwood//1950s Victor Stiebel//1900s Madame A Katy.