London
CNN
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Around 2003, as the British Fashion Council’s talent development initiative Newgen celebrated its 10th anniversary, the UK was embroiled in a number of era-defining events. Britain invaded Iraq on the orders of Prime Minister Tony Blair. Laws banning the “promotion of homosexuality” by local governments and schools have been abolished. Then social media site Myspace was launched, forever changing the way we connect online.
These events, and many others, such as the introduction of online fashion shopping with Net-a-Porter in 2000 and the introduction of tuition fees for university students in 1998, are all acknowledged in the timeline of the Design Museum’s new exhibition Rebel. Masu. : 30 years of London fashion.” Their participation is significant, as they shed light on the evolution of the city’s fashion scene over the past 30 years, from a lackluster showcase for a few designers to a hub for new, internationally recognized talent. I’m emphasizing it.
Wally Scully/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images/Courtesy of Design Museum
Björk attended the 2001 Academy Awards in Los Angeles wearing a Marjane Pejoski swan dress, adorned with eggs, and lying on the red carpet.
“Newgen was founded in 1993, very much in response to the fact that Britain was in recession,” says co-curator of the exhibition with Vogue critic Sarah Mower. Rebecca Lewin said in an interview with CNN. “The expectation for designers coming through[British]schools was that work would be elsewhere, at fashion houses overseas.” So the British Fashion Council (BFC) announced that the London Fashion Week During the event, six young labels were unveiled to the press and buyers in a suite at The Ritz, and it was decided to preserve the designers in question. New Gen was born.
“Lee McQueen was the first of them,” continued Lewin, referring to the late Alexander McQueen, whose brand today is one of the most successful in British fashion (and which also sponsors the show). . “Although the collection has been lost, his story shows exactly what it takes to get started and what it means to get started, and it gives us a feel of London in the early 1990s.”
Andy Stagg/Design Museum
The exhibition features hundreds of works by the burgeoning designer, many of which later became well-known.
Specifically, “Rebel” features works by some of the 300 early-career designers who received NewGen funding, including Grace Wales Bonner, JW Anderson, Kim Jones, Mary Katrantzou, and Duro Olowu. Clothes and works made during the festival are on display. , Richard Quinn and Simone Rocha. Elsewhere, McQueen’s friend and collaborator Simon Andres recreates pieces from the lost first collection, as well as previously unseen Lee debut photos, audio recordings and early media coverage. exhibited alongside.
Using London itself as a framework, the show examines why these creators chose this city and why certain spaces inspired them (with a particular look into the city’s club culture) , with old posters and video footage highlighting its close relationship with younger designers like Martin Rose), Charles Jeffrey’s LOVERBOY label, and Nasir Mazar).
In fact, very few designers started out in London, often going on to universities such as Central Saint Martins, the University of Westminster, and the London College of Fashion. Harikrishnan Keezathil Surendran Pillai (who designs under the name HARRI) was following a designer from London. Liverpool-born Stephen Stokey-Daly of SS Daly, India, and Marjan Pejoski from Macedonia. Two current Newgen winners and one 2001 winner have worn Sam Smith’s British, Harry Styles’ Golden Awards video, and Björk’s iconic Oscars, respectively. Their bold designs, including swan moments, are among the approximately 100 looks on display.
LANDMARK MEDIA/Alamy Stock Photo/Courtesy of Design Museum
Singer Sam Smith appeared in HARRI’s work at the BRIT Awards in London in February 2023.
While aimed at a fashion-conscious audience, Lewin emphasized its affinity with a broader visual memory, stemming from the role of pre-Instagram newspaper coverage and the sense of discovery within the show. “Christopher Kane’s stunning neon dress was made of lace, lingerie and elastic bought from a market in east London,” she explained. “If you know[the area]you know about that stall, but you might never have thought that they make amazing bodycon dresses. We hope this ignites a sense of possibility.”
Furthermore, the emergence of social media and style blogs was a defining moment in the trajectory of London fashion. “Until 2000, the only way people were exposed to cutting-edge happenings was by going to shows or waiting months for a magazine. Style.com was hugely influential as a resource for designers. I quickly realized how many people I was reaching,” says Lewin. “Social media then meant more avenues for designers to communicate their work more directly. These technological changes had a huge impact.”
Andy Stagg/Design Museum
This exhibition features clothing and fashion ephemera from the past 30 years.
While the array of beautiful, innovative and sometimes completely otherworldly garments is perhaps the show’s biggest selling point, the curators point out that the breadth of the story and the variables that influenced each piece are key factors. “As with other creative industries, changes in the education system and the cost of living will have a knock-on effect on the way designers work in cities like London,” she says. “These designers have challenged the way fashion is made and rebelled by saying, ‘We want to create something different and better.'”
“Rebel” is Design Museum, Londonuntil February 11, 2024.