A nice collaborative mash-up of art and fashion this, which is increasingly becoming a thing. A very good thing, which can surely only benefit the whole of the creative arts. We've had fashion and jewellery houses Louis Vuitton and Cartier in France specifically creating foundations to showcase their art collections, and then this - Henry Moore: Inspiration & Process At Makers House - Burberry's collaboration with the Henry Moore Foundation at the former Foyles book shop building on Charing Cross road.
It was strange initially, going into the shell of a place I regularly frequented for the latest tomes on art, design and illustration, to see how all of that has now gone, and how the building has been brutally stripped back to its concrete bones. Plus ça change.
There are sections in this show devoted to Moore's exhibition posters and some wonderful maquettes, and found objects which informed his sculpture.
There were other sections devoted to Burberry's February runway collections displayed on mannequins, but the showstopper as far as the clothes were concerned was The Cape Reimagined section. This showcased 78 amazing couture capes created from a variety of materials. It was easy to make the links between the clothing and Henry Moore's work as the capes were indeed beautifully sculptural. It was a fantastic opportunity to closely inspect the processes and techniques employed by specialist artisans working in ateliers to create couture garments. The beading, pleating, lacework and embroidery are just so exquisite.
The sculptural qualities of the metal cape above complemented the figurative forms of the Henry Moore sculptures.
I loved this wall featuring the tools of the trade, and the cabinets full of Moore's maquettes, and collection of found bones and pebbles that fired his imagination.
Also of great interest to me was the section showcasing the fashion designers thought processes and techniques, and how these are then translated into wearable garments.
Really happy to have caught this exhibition, and it was a pleasant change to visit a show based purely around the sculptural aspects of couture fashion and fabric, as well as Moore's metal and stone pieces. I also really enjoyed observing the fashionistas and their outfits. Fabulous Darlings!
