Club to Catwalk
Victoria and Albert Museum Exhibition

Club to Catwalk: London Fashion in the 1980's

10th July 2013 - 16th February 2014

The 1980's in the UK was a time of excess and decadence, it was boom time and this was never more reflected in the explosion of the UK club and it's sometimes outrageous fashion.

This exhibition explores the relationship of the music and club scene and the fashion which grew up around it. Young designers of the time experimented with fashion and amongst these Betty Jackson, Katharine Hamnett, Wendy Dagworthy and John Galliano were probably the best known and dare I say it most experimental.

The exhibition will include 85 outfits of the time from these designers as well as items of clothing worn by some of the iconic musicians during the 80's such as Adam Ant and Leigh Bowery. Clothes often worn by the select club goers of iconic and possibly most difficult to get into clubs of London such as the Blitz and Billy. Where to be boring and drab was a sure way to get turned away at the door.

The 1980's was the time of the New Romantic and High Camp cross dressing young men and women, when barriers of gender were not only twisted but well and truly bent. Fashion and the club scene fed off each other and created a scene which has yet to be matched in glitz and glamour.
This exciting 1980's fashion exhibition will puzzle today's young, baffle the older generations and the rest of us in the middle will smile with our memories of our own youth of the 80's. An exhibition for the curios and fashion lovers alike.

Admission Prices (Booking online advisable via Victoria and Albert Museum website)
Adults £5.
Family of 1 adult & 2 12–17 year olds £10.00 
Family of 2 adults & 2 12–17 year olds £15.00

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