Britain Creates 2012: Fashion + Art Collusion

The Upcoming headed to one of our favourite cultural outposts, The Victoria & Albert Museum for the BFC’s private press view of Britain Creates 2012: Fashion + Art Collusion on Thursday morning. 

Britain Creates, which was launched during London Collections: Men, by Ambassadors and British Style Icons David Gandy and Alexa Chung is aimed at celebrating and strengthening the longstanding relationship between fashion and art, in particular that of fashion designers and visual artists and is led by the British Fashion Council/Bazaar Fashion Art’s Foundation in partnership with the Mayor of London. 

The initiative is part of the London 2012 festival, a “cultural Olympiad” that runs for 12 weeks this summer celebrating all things art and culture, bringing together the world’s leading artists with those from the UK and has been billed by Mayor Boris Johnson as “the most ambitious cultural festival ever in the capital”. Taking its rightful place in this great celebration is British fashion and at the V&A, visitors can now view the magnificent results of what happens when fashion and art collide. 

Exhibition curator Susanna Greeves was on hand at the press preview to give an introductory talk to the project, as were the designers Mary Katrantzou, Peter Pilotto and artist Jeremy Deller who eagerly discussed the process and logistics behind their individual collaborations and the exhibition as a whole. 

Representing some of fashion and arts rising stars and established heavyweights, the collaborations are as follows:

British fashion titan Sir Paul Smith and Charming Baker, who’s charmingly quirky and fittingly sporting sculpture Triumph in the Face of Absurdity, that of a giant bike upon the shoulders of a tiny mouse a la Atlas, is on display at the main entrance to the V&A.

In the exhibition space itself are the results of the combined forces of; Hussein Chalayan and Gavin Turk, Giles Deacon and Jeremy Deller, Stephen Jones and Cerith Wyn Evans, Mary Katrantzou and Mark Titchner, Nicholas Kirkwood and Simon Periton, Peter Pilotto, Christopher de Vos and Francis Upritchard, Jonathon Saunders and Jess Flood-Paddock, Matthew Williamson and Matt Collishaw. 

The whole thing has also been recorded for posterity in a stunning box set that comprises of two books, nine posters of the finished artworks and a CD with an audio track collaboration, a must-have addition to the collections of fashion and art lovers alike. 

This must-see free exhibition runs from July 6^th to July 29^th at the V&A and we highly recommend it. While you are there why not check out the rest of this wonderful museum, which has to be one of the best days out in London. The Fashion Through The Ages exhibit and “Ballgowns” are a must for anybody interested in British fashion and British heritage, and the eight giant paintings by Raphael are breathtaking. Put some culture in your vulture this month and head to one of the jewels in London’s crown! 

Ian Michael Turner
Photos: Ian Michael Turner

For more information click here.