In London A New Era For The Body In Fashion

A new exhibition celebrates and explores representations of the body in fashion, bringing together the industry’s most thoughtful creatives in an insightful and enjoyable curation.

The language of the body has long been overlooked in fashion, a vessel in which the reciprocal relationship between human form and clothing design is fundamental. In their new fashion exhibition, Shonagh Marshall and Holly Hay offer a fascinating new reading of the body in fashion, bringing together leading image makers such as Coco Capitan, Charlie Engman, Johnny Dufort, Marton Perlaki and Zoe Ghertner to highlight and explore the nuances of posture, gesture and pose in the presentation of garments in contemporary culture.

‘Laura Ashley’ from Double Magazine, Autumn/Winter 2016

An independent London-based fashion curator and archivist, Shonagh Marshall has previously worked on exhibitions including Isabella Blow: Fashion Galore and Utopian Voices Here and Now at Somerset House; Holly Hay is art buyer at Dazed Media Studio. Together, they bring a precise lens through which to examine the theme of how fashion photographers use the body as material in the portrayal of clothes.

The exhibition is curated thematically, focusing on topics – casting, styling, location, props and art direction. As such, the viewer can explore these pockets of significance intimately, gaining fresh insight into the process of image making, as well as the final results. Highlights include editorial images by Charlotte Walsh, Tyrone Lebon, Bibi Cornejo Borthwick and Hanna Moon, with pictures from influential publications such as British Vogue, AnOther, i-D, The Gentlewoman, Interview and Double.

Photograph by Pascal Gambarte, from Marfa Journal, Issue 6, November 2016.

For a fashion exhibition, clothes are distinctly not the focus. The selection of images hones in on atmosphere and feeling rather than investigating the power of a statement piece. That’s not to say the clothes aren’t commanding, they are. However framed on the body, they become part of a punchier composition – as all great fashion photography should evoke.

Posturing: Photographing the Body in Fashion is the first of a three-part partnership that Shonagh and Holly have embarked on with The Outnet. The second instalment will focus on the theme of filming the body in fashion and be launched with an exclusive screening at Art Basel. A book, ‘Posturing: Writing the Body in Fashion’ will be released in March 2018. The threefold focus on the body will thus offer a comprehensive and evocative analysis of the human form and its depiction in the industry.

This collaboration by Shonagh and Holly comes in the wake of a fresh approach to fashion photography, in which (most notably) the female form has been liberated from one type of rendering. Increasingly the body is considered in its flawed, fascinating glory, ensuring a new era of appreciation of the body in fashion.

Posturing: Photographing the Body in Fashion is on at 10 Thurloe Place until November 12

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.