A photo by Eileen Perrier shows a confident young woman with blue bobbed hair lookign directly at the viewer
 
The Morgan Stanley Exhibition

The Missing Thread

Untold Stories of Black British Fashion

21 Sep 2023 - 07 Jan 2024
£12/£9.50 conc
25 and under £5.00
Exhibition open Tue - Sun (closed Mon)

Opening Times

Mon CLOSED
Tue 10.00 - 18.00 (last entry 17.00)
Wed 10.00 - 18.00 (last entry 17.00)
Thu 12.00 - 21.00 (last entry 20.00)
Fri 12.00 - 21.00 (last entry 20.00)
Sat 10.00 - 18.00 (last entry 17.00)
Sun 10.00 - 18.00 (last entry 17.00)

Please note that the exhibiton will close early for the day at 18.00 (last entry 17.00) on Friday 08 December.

Seasonal Opening Times

Sun 24 Dec 10.00 - 16.00 (last entry 15.00)
Mon 25 Dec CLOSED
Tue 26 Dec CLOSED
Wed 27 Dec 10.00 - 18.00 (last entry 17.00)
Thu 28 Dec 12.00 - 21.00 (last entry 20.00)
Fri 29 Dec 12.00 - 21.00 (last entry 20.00)
Sat 30 Dec 10.00 - 18.00 (last entry 17.00)
Sun 31 Dec CLOSED
Mon 01 Jan CLOSED
East Wing Galleries

This autumn, Somerset House explores the stories of Black British fashion in a major new exhibition, The Missing Thread, curated by the Black Orientated Legacy Development Agency (BOLD). Spanning from the 1970s to the present day, The Missing Thread charts the shifting landscape of Black British culture and the unique contribution it has made to Britain’s rich design history. 

The exhibition examines how the cultural, counter-cultural, political and socio-economic backdrop of the 20th and 21st centuries have shaped the identity of Black style and in turn mainstream fashion culture. Extending far beyond the realm of the catwalk, the exhibition spotlights and contextualises the profound impact of Black creativity through music, photography, art and design.

Black creativity has had a profound influence on British culture and continues to be referenced to great effect, often without acknowledgement. The exhibition seeks to redress this, celebrating the unique visions and impact of an often unseen generation of trailblazing Black creatives who were denied access to the fashion industry, or who despite achieving great success, have had their contributions misrepresented or excluded from the story of British fashion.


The exhibition tells the story of Black creativity through four distinct themes - home, tailoring, performance and nightlife - each referencing the spaces which inspired and allowed the culture of Black British fashion and design to develop on its own terms. Rather than approaching fashion as an artform created in isolation, the Black contribution to British fashion culture is set within a broader socio-political context, placing garments alongside artworks, cultural artefacts, music, memorabilia, videos and installations. The Missing Thread also spotlights the genius of one of Britain's most influential Black fashion designers, the late Joe Casely-Hayford, presenting the designer’s archive in an exhibition format for the first time in the UK. Finally, a series of original commissions by contemporary Black designers, including Nicholas Daley, Bianca Saunders and Saul Nash, celebrate the generational lineage of Black creative excellence in British fashion.

The Missing Thread is part-party, part-urgent political commentary, and part-overdue recognition of the seismic influence the Black community has had on style in the UK.

The Face
The Missing Thread | Exhibition Trailer

BUY THE CATALOGUE

The Black Orientated Legacy Development Agency (BOLD) is a creative, design development agency working to forge structural and institutional change across the fashion industry and beyond. The agency is the brainchild of Harris Elliott, Andrew Ibi and Jason Jules.

Harris Elliott is an international interdisciplinary visual artist and Senior MA Lecturer in Fashion at the Royal College of Art, specialising in identity and culture.

Andrew Ibi is a designer, artist, DJ and educator. He is the Creative Director of E.Macbean, London, currently the programme leader for the BA Fashion: Design & Communication course at Liverpool John Moores University and Visiting Professor at Middlesex University. 

Jason Jules is a multi-disciplinary creative interested in semiotics, culture and style. Co-founder of the legendary Watch-Men Agency, he is known for his collaborative fashion project Garmsville and as author of the 2021 best-selling book, Black Ivy - A Revolt In Style.

Somerset House is delighted to be working with Morgan Stanley across our cultural programme, with a partnership which encompasses a range of exhibitions, programmes and social impact initiatives. Find out more

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Header image: Eileen Perrier, Untitled 1, Afro Hair and Beauty, 1998 © Eileen Perrier