Fashion First: NAOMI at the V&A
How does the V&A's Naomi Campbell exhibition compare to other recent fashion displays?
By
Rhea Mathur
August 15, 2024
Displayed on a thin, vertical screen at the entrance to NAOMI In Fashion at the Victoria and Albert Museum is a one-minute forty-second video compilation of Naomi Campbell's iconic and powerful struts down the catwalk from 1987 to the present day. This visual display is placed in a dark room, supplemented by a board that describes Campbell’s journey entering the fashion industry, beginning with the quote, “I never thought I was going to be a model”. Campbell was found by the modelling agent, Beth Boldt, on a day out in Covent Garden when the model was only fifteen years old. The rest, the exhibition tells us, is history. Just a few years later, Campbell was on the front cover of British Vogue and was walking down the runway in not just London, but in Paris and New York. This exhibition at the V&A takes us through Naomi Campbell’s journey to becoming a supermodel.
In the first room of this exhibition, displayed in glass, is Campbell’s first Vogue cover - the British edition’s December 1987 issue, besides behind-the-scenes images photographing her in Long Island, New York. Taken early in the morning or late in the day, before sunset, the photographs belong to Campbell’s personal collection and showcase the model and her team, cheerful, and working on the specifics of the shoot on the beach. The cover itself also features Campbell almost breaking into a laugh with her head facing up towards the blue sky. Unlike most magazine covers, this cover is almost simple and elegant, and presents Campbell thriving while finding her footing in the industry. She looks as though she is decorated in gold befitting a Christmas issue of the magazine.
This room also features a recreation of Campbell’s dressing room at Claridges, the London hotel where she stayed in the 1990s. The room is emblematic of Campbell’s busy schedule, one which required her to frequent hotels in London, Paris, Milan and New York, moving from one shoot location to another. It also showcases the luxurious lifestyle that the supermodel lived in her constantly growing career. Campbell’s path to success - being found while shopping with her friends and instantly whisked off to different countries to walk the runway, is a dream not just for models but one that many have dreamt of. This vicarious access into her lifestyle through her dressing room offers insight, akin to an interview in a magazine, arousing the curiosity of the audience.
The design of the dressing room is worthy of examination, partially styled by Campbell herself; multiple dresses hang on two walls, with a rack of clothes on the third. The dressing table is placed against the wall and is littered with cosmetics, clothes and jewellery. The room plays with the imagination of the audience, focusing on the elements they would most likely suspect the model to own. The positioning of the items is similar to the vintage shop, Virginia, located on Portland Road next to London’s Notting Hill. Full of the most exquisite collection of vintage designer items, Virginia Bates replicates the look of her store in this glass box at the V&A. Campbell was known to be one of Bates’ glamorous, A-list clientele and this room is not only a nod to their friendship, but also brings together both of their legacies in one small space.
The exhibition brings to life Campbell’s journey and highlights her close working relationship with the designer, Yves Saint Laurent. It showcases her most iconic outfits worn on the runway, at press conferences and even the one she wore leaving the New York City Department of Sanitation after serving five days of court-ordered community service. It focuses on how Campbell became a household name and one of the most recognised and influential Black women worldwide, leading to the media closely watching her every move. However, what the exhibition is so close to achieving - making the audience truly understand the power the supermodel status holds, and the magnetic beauty of Campbell’s work, is somewhat lost in the series of clothes that it showcases next. True to its emphasis on fashion, the exhibition focuses on Campbell’s clothes and the story they tell, leaving the audience wanting. If you find yourself at the V&A, while this is an interesting exhibition for someone who loves fashion, it is the Fragile Beauty exhibition, featuring photographs from Sir Elton John and the David Furnish Collection, which I believe is a must-see instead.
NAOMI In Fashion is showing at V&A South Kensington until 6th April 2025.
Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection is showing at V&A South Kensington until 5th January 2025.
Displayed on a thin, vertical screen at the entrance to NAOMI In Fashion at the Victoria and Albert Museum is a one-minute forty-second video compilation of Naomi Campbell's iconic and powerful struts down the catwalk from 1987 to the present day. This visual display is placed in a dark room, supplemented by a board that describes Campbell’s journey entering the fashion industry, beginning with the quote, “I never thought I was going to be a model”. Campbell was found by the modelling agent, Beth Boldt, on a day out in Covent Garden when the model was only fifteen years old. The rest, the exhibition tells us, is history. Just a few years later, Campbell was on the front cover of British Vogue and was walking down the runway in not just London, but in Paris and New York. This exhibition at the V&A takes us through Naomi Campbell’s journey to becoming a supermodel.
In the first room of this exhibition, displayed in glass, is Campbell’s first Vogue cover - the British edition’s December 1987 issue, besides behind-the-scenes images photographing her in Long Island, New York. Taken early in the morning or late in the day, before sunset, the photographs belong to Campbell’s personal collection and showcase the model and her team, cheerful, and working on the specifics of the shoot on the beach. The cover itself also features Campbell almost breaking into a laugh with her head facing up towards the blue sky. Unlike most magazine covers, this cover is almost simple and elegant, and presents Campbell thriving while finding her footing in the industry. She looks as though she is decorated in gold befitting a Christmas issue of the magazine.
This room also features a recreation of Campbell’s dressing room at Claridges, the London hotel where she stayed in the 1990s. The room is emblematic of Campbell’s busy schedule, one which required her to frequent hotels in London, Paris, Milan and New York, moving from one shoot location to another. It also showcases the luxurious lifestyle that the supermodel lived in her constantly growing career. Campbell’s path to success - being found while shopping with her friends and instantly whisked off to different countries to walk the runway, is a dream not just for models but one that many have dreamt of. This vicarious access into her lifestyle through her dressing room offers insight, akin to an interview in a magazine, arousing the curiosity of the audience.
The design of the dressing room is worthy of examination, partially styled by Campbell herself; multiple dresses hang on two walls, with a rack of clothes on the third. The dressing table is placed against the wall and is littered with cosmetics, clothes and jewellery. The room plays with the imagination of the audience, focusing on the elements they would most likely suspect the model to own. The positioning of the items is similar to the vintage shop, Virginia, located on Portland Road next to London’s Notting Hill. Full of the most exquisite collection of vintage designer items, Virginia Bates replicates the look of her store in this glass box at the V&A. Campbell was known to be one of Bates’ glamorous, A-list clientele and this room is not only a nod to their friendship, but also brings together both of their legacies in one small space.
The exhibition brings to life Campbell’s journey and highlights her close working relationship with the designer, Yves Saint Laurent. It showcases her most iconic outfits worn on the runway, at press conferences and even the one she wore leaving the New York City Department of Sanitation after serving five days of court-ordered community service. It focuses on how Campbell became a household name and one of the most recognised and influential Black women worldwide, leading to the media closely watching her every move. However, what the exhibition is so close to achieving - making the audience truly understand the power the supermodel status holds, and the magnetic beauty of Campbell’s work, is somewhat lost in the series of clothes that it showcases next. True to its emphasis on fashion, the exhibition focuses on Campbell’s clothes and the story they tell, leaving the audience wanting. If you find yourself at the V&A, while this is an interesting exhibition for someone who loves fashion, it is the Fragile Beauty exhibition, featuring photographs from Sir Elton John and the David Furnish Collection, which I believe is a must-see instead.
NAOMI In Fashion is showing at V&A South Kensington until 6th April 2025.
Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection is showing at V&A South Kensington until 5th January 2025.
Displayed on a thin, vertical screen at the entrance to NAOMI In Fashion at the Victoria and Albert Museum is a one-minute forty-second video compilation of Naomi Campbell's iconic and powerful struts down the catwalk from 1987 to the present day. This visual display is placed in a dark room, supplemented by a board that describes Campbell’s journey entering the fashion industry, beginning with the quote, “I never thought I was going to be a model”. Campbell was found by the modelling agent, Beth Boldt, on a day out in Covent Garden when the model was only fifteen years old. The rest, the exhibition tells us, is history. Just a few years later, Campbell was on the front cover of British Vogue and was walking down the runway in not just London, but in Paris and New York. This exhibition at the V&A takes us through Naomi Campbell’s journey to becoming a supermodel.
In the first room of this exhibition, displayed in glass, is Campbell’s first Vogue cover - the British edition’s December 1987 issue, besides behind-the-scenes images photographing her in Long Island, New York. Taken early in the morning or late in the day, before sunset, the photographs belong to Campbell’s personal collection and showcase the model and her team, cheerful, and working on the specifics of the shoot on the beach. The cover itself also features Campbell almost breaking into a laugh with her head facing up towards the blue sky. Unlike most magazine covers, this cover is almost simple and elegant, and presents Campbell thriving while finding her footing in the industry. She looks as though she is decorated in gold befitting a Christmas issue of the magazine.
This room also features a recreation of Campbell’s dressing room at Claridges, the London hotel where she stayed in the 1990s. The room is emblematic of Campbell’s busy schedule, one which required her to frequent hotels in London, Paris, Milan and New York, moving from one shoot location to another. It also showcases the luxurious lifestyle that the supermodel lived in her constantly growing career. Campbell’s path to success - being found while shopping with her friends and instantly whisked off to different countries to walk the runway, is a dream not just for models but one that many have dreamt of. This vicarious access into her lifestyle through her dressing room offers insight, akin to an interview in a magazine, arousing the curiosity of the audience.
The design of the dressing room is worthy of examination, partially styled by Campbell herself; multiple dresses hang on two walls, with a rack of clothes on the third. The dressing table is placed against the wall and is littered with cosmetics, clothes and jewellery. The room plays with the imagination of the audience, focusing on the elements they would most likely suspect the model to own. The positioning of the items is similar to the vintage shop, Virginia, located on Portland Road next to London’s Notting Hill. Full of the most exquisite collection of vintage designer items, Virginia Bates replicates the look of her store in this glass box at the V&A. Campbell was known to be one of Bates’ glamorous, A-list clientele and this room is not only a nod to their friendship, but also brings together both of their legacies in one small space.
The exhibition brings to life Campbell’s journey and highlights her close working relationship with the designer, Yves Saint Laurent. It showcases her most iconic outfits worn on the runway, at press conferences and even the one she wore leaving the New York City Department of Sanitation after serving five days of court-ordered community service. It focuses on how Campbell became a household name and one of the most recognised and influential Black women worldwide, leading to the media closely watching her every move. However, what the exhibition is so close to achieving - making the audience truly understand the power the supermodel status holds, and the magnetic beauty of Campbell’s work, is somewhat lost in the series of clothes that it showcases next. True to its emphasis on fashion, the exhibition focuses on Campbell’s clothes and the story they tell, leaving the audience wanting. If you find yourself at the V&A, while this is an interesting exhibition for someone who loves fashion, it is the Fragile Beauty exhibition, featuring photographs from Sir Elton John and the David Furnish Collection, which I believe is a must-see instead.
NAOMI In Fashion is showing at V&A South Kensington until 6th April 2025.
Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection is showing at V&A South Kensington until 5th January 2025.
Displayed on a thin, vertical screen at the entrance to NAOMI In Fashion at the Victoria and Albert Museum is a one-minute forty-second video compilation of Naomi Campbell's iconic and powerful struts down the catwalk from 1987 to the present day. This visual display is placed in a dark room, supplemented by a board that describes Campbell’s journey entering the fashion industry, beginning with the quote, “I never thought I was going to be a model”. Campbell was found by the modelling agent, Beth Boldt, on a day out in Covent Garden when the model was only fifteen years old. The rest, the exhibition tells us, is history. Just a few years later, Campbell was on the front cover of British Vogue and was walking down the runway in not just London, but in Paris and New York. This exhibition at the V&A takes us through Naomi Campbell’s journey to becoming a supermodel.
In the first room of this exhibition, displayed in glass, is Campbell’s first Vogue cover - the British edition’s December 1987 issue, besides behind-the-scenes images photographing her in Long Island, New York. Taken early in the morning or late in the day, before sunset, the photographs belong to Campbell’s personal collection and showcase the model and her team, cheerful, and working on the specifics of the shoot on the beach. The cover itself also features Campbell almost breaking into a laugh with her head facing up towards the blue sky. Unlike most magazine covers, this cover is almost simple and elegant, and presents Campbell thriving while finding her footing in the industry. She looks as though she is decorated in gold befitting a Christmas issue of the magazine.
This room also features a recreation of Campbell’s dressing room at Claridges, the London hotel where she stayed in the 1990s. The room is emblematic of Campbell’s busy schedule, one which required her to frequent hotels in London, Paris, Milan and New York, moving from one shoot location to another. It also showcases the luxurious lifestyle that the supermodel lived in her constantly growing career. Campbell’s path to success - being found while shopping with her friends and instantly whisked off to different countries to walk the runway, is a dream not just for models but one that many have dreamt of. This vicarious access into her lifestyle through her dressing room offers insight, akin to an interview in a magazine, arousing the curiosity of the audience.
The design of the dressing room is worthy of examination, partially styled by Campbell herself; multiple dresses hang on two walls, with a rack of clothes on the third. The dressing table is placed against the wall and is littered with cosmetics, clothes and jewellery. The room plays with the imagination of the audience, focusing on the elements they would most likely suspect the model to own. The positioning of the items is similar to the vintage shop, Virginia, located on Portland Road next to London’s Notting Hill. Full of the most exquisite collection of vintage designer items, Virginia Bates replicates the look of her store in this glass box at the V&A. Campbell was known to be one of Bates’ glamorous, A-list clientele and this room is not only a nod to their friendship, but also brings together both of their legacies in one small space.
The exhibition brings to life Campbell’s journey and highlights her close working relationship with the designer, Yves Saint Laurent. It showcases her most iconic outfits worn on the runway, at press conferences and even the one she wore leaving the New York City Department of Sanitation after serving five days of court-ordered community service. It focuses on how Campbell became a household name and one of the most recognised and influential Black women worldwide, leading to the media closely watching her every move. However, what the exhibition is so close to achieving - making the audience truly understand the power the supermodel status holds, and the magnetic beauty of Campbell’s work, is somewhat lost in the series of clothes that it showcases next. True to its emphasis on fashion, the exhibition focuses on Campbell’s clothes and the story they tell, leaving the audience wanting. If you find yourself at the V&A, while this is an interesting exhibition for someone who loves fashion, it is the Fragile Beauty exhibition, featuring photographs from Sir Elton John and the David Furnish Collection, which I believe is a must-see instead.
NAOMI In Fashion is showing at V&A South Kensington until 6th April 2025.
Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection is showing at V&A South Kensington until 5th January 2025.
Displayed on a thin, vertical screen at the entrance to NAOMI In Fashion at the Victoria and Albert Museum is a one-minute forty-second video compilation of Naomi Campbell's iconic and powerful struts down the catwalk from 1987 to the present day. This visual display is placed in a dark room, supplemented by a board that describes Campbell’s journey entering the fashion industry, beginning with the quote, “I never thought I was going to be a model”. Campbell was found by the modelling agent, Beth Boldt, on a day out in Covent Garden when the model was only fifteen years old. The rest, the exhibition tells us, is history. Just a few years later, Campbell was on the front cover of British Vogue and was walking down the runway in not just London, but in Paris and New York. This exhibition at the V&A takes us through Naomi Campbell’s journey to becoming a supermodel.
In the first room of this exhibition, displayed in glass, is Campbell’s first Vogue cover - the British edition’s December 1987 issue, besides behind-the-scenes images photographing her in Long Island, New York. Taken early in the morning or late in the day, before sunset, the photographs belong to Campbell’s personal collection and showcase the model and her team, cheerful, and working on the specifics of the shoot on the beach. The cover itself also features Campbell almost breaking into a laugh with her head facing up towards the blue sky. Unlike most magazine covers, this cover is almost simple and elegant, and presents Campbell thriving while finding her footing in the industry. She looks as though she is decorated in gold befitting a Christmas issue of the magazine.
This room also features a recreation of Campbell’s dressing room at Claridges, the London hotel where she stayed in the 1990s. The room is emblematic of Campbell’s busy schedule, one which required her to frequent hotels in London, Paris, Milan and New York, moving from one shoot location to another. It also showcases the luxurious lifestyle that the supermodel lived in her constantly growing career. Campbell’s path to success - being found while shopping with her friends and instantly whisked off to different countries to walk the runway, is a dream not just for models but one that many have dreamt of. This vicarious access into her lifestyle through her dressing room offers insight, akin to an interview in a magazine, arousing the curiosity of the audience.
The design of the dressing room is worthy of examination, partially styled by Campbell herself; multiple dresses hang on two walls, with a rack of clothes on the third. The dressing table is placed against the wall and is littered with cosmetics, clothes and jewellery. The room plays with the imagination of the audience, focusing on the elements they would most likely suspect the model to own. The positioning of the items is similar to the vintage shop, Virginia, located on Portland Road next to London’s Notting Hill. Full of the most exquisite collection of vintage designer items, Virginia Bates replicates the look of her store in this glass box at the V&A. Campbell was known to be one of Bates’ glamorous, A-list clientele and this room is not only a nod to their friendship, but also brings together both of their legacies in one small space.
The exhibition brings to life Campbell’s journey and highlights her close working relationship with the designer, Yves Saint Laurent. It showcases her most iconic outfits worn on the runway, at press conferences and even the one she wore leaving the New York City Department of Sanitation after serving five days of court-ordered community service. It focuses on how Campbell became a household name and one of the most recognised and influential Black women worldwide, leading to the media closely watching her every move. However, what the exhibition is so close to achieving - making the audience truly understand the power the supermodel status holds, and the magnetic beauty of Campbell’s work, is somewhat lost in the series of clothes that it showcases next. True to its emphasis on fashion, the exhibition focuses on Campbell’s clothes and the story they tell, leaving the audience wanting. If you find yourself at the V&A, while this is an interesting exhibition for someone who loves fashion, it is the Fragile Beauty exhibition, featuring photographs from Sir Elton John and the David Furnish Collection, which I believe is a must-see instead.
NAOMI In Fashion is showing at V&A South Kensington until 6th April 2025.
Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection is showing at V&A South Kensington until 5th January 2025.
Displayed on a thin, vertical screen at the entrance to NAOMI In Fashion at the Victoria and Albert Museum is a one-minute forty-second video compilation of Naomi Campbell's iconic and powerful struts down the catwalk from 1987 to the present day. This visual display is placed in a dark room, supplemented by a board that describes Campbell’s journey entering the fashion industry, beginning with the quote, “I never thought I was going to be a model”. Campbell was found by the modelling agent, Beth Boldt, on a day out in Covent Garden when the model was only fifteen years old. The rest, the exhibition tells us, is history. Just a few years later, Campbell was on the front cover of British Vogue and was walking down the runway in not just London, but in Paris and New York. This exhibition at the V&A takes us through Naomi Campbell’s journey to becoming a supermodel.
In the first room of this exhibition, displayed in glass, is Campbell’s first Vogue cover - the British edition’s December 1987 issue, besides behind-the-scenes images photographing her in Long Island, New York. Taken early in the morning or late in the day, before sunset, the photographs belong to Campbell’s personal collection and showcase the model and her team, cheerful, and working on the specifics of the shoot on the beach. The cover itself also features Campbell almost breaking into a laugh with her head facing up towards the blue sky. Unlike most magazine covers, this cover is almost simple and elegant, and presents Campbell thriving while finding her footing in the industry. She looks as though she is decorated in gold befitting a Christmas issue of the magazine.
This room also features a recreation of Campbell’s dressing room at Claridges, the London hotel where she stayed in the 1990s. The room is emblematic of Campbell’s busy schedule, one which required her to frequent hotels in London, Paris, Milan and New York, moving from one shoot location to another. It also showcases the luxurious lifestyle that the supermodel lived in her constantly growing career. Campbell’s path to success - being found while shopping with her friends and instantly whisked off to different countries to walk the runway, is a dream not just for models but one that many have dreamt of. This vicarious access into her lifestyle through her dressing room offers insight, akin to an interview in a magazine, arousing the curiosity of the audience.
The design of the dressing room is worthy of examination, partially styled by Campbell herself; multiple dresses hang on two walls, with a rack of clothes on the third. The dressing table is placed against the wall and is littered with cosmetics, clothes and jewellery. The room plays with the imagination of the audience, focusing on the elements they would most likely suspect the model to own. The positioning of the items is similar to the vintage shop, Virginia, located on Portland Road next to London’s Notting Hill. Full of the most exquisite collection of vintage designer items, Virginia Bates replicates the look of her store in this glass box at the V&A. Campbell was known to be one of Bates’ glamorous, A-list clientele and this room is not only a nod to their friendship, but also brings together both of their legacies in one small space.
The exhibition brings to life Campbell’s journey and highlights her close working relationship with the designer, Yves Saint Laurent. It showcases her most iconic outfits worn on the runway, at press conferences and even the one she wore leaving the New York City Department of Sanitation after serving five days of court-ordered community service. It focuses on how Campbell became a household name and one of the most recognised and influential Black women worldwide, leading to the media closely watching her every move. However, what the exhibition is so close to achieving - making the audience truly understand the power the supermodel status holds, and the magnetic beauty of Campbell’s work, is somewhat lost in the series of clothes that it showcases next. True to its emphasis on fashion, the exhibition focuses on Campbell’s clothes and the story they tell, leaving the audience wanting. If you find yourself at the V&A, while this is an interesting exhibition for someone who loves fashion, it is the Fragile Beauty exhibition, featuring photographs from Sir Elton John and the David Furnish Collection, which I believe is a must-see instead.
NAOMI In Fashion is showing at V&A South Kensington until 6th April 2025.
Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection is showing at V&A South Kensington until 5th January 2025.
Displayed on a thin, vertical screen at the entrance to NAOMI In Fashion at the Victoria and Albert Museum is a one-minute forty-second video compilation of Naomi Campbell's iconic and powerful struts down the catwalk from 1987 to the present day. This visual display is placed in a dark room, supplemented by a board that describes Campbell’s journey entering the fashion industry, beginning with the quote, “I never thought I was going to be a model”. Campbell was found by the modelling agent, Beth Boldt, on a day out in Covent Garden when the model was only fifteen years old. The rest, the exhibition tells us, is history. Just a few years later, Campbell was on the front cover of British Vogue and was walking down the runway in not just London, but in Paris and New York. This exhibition at the V&A takes us through Naomi Campbell’s journey to becoming a supermodel.
In the first room of this exhibition, displayed in glass, is Campbell’s first Vogue cover - the British edition’s December 1987 issue, besides behind-the-scenes images photographing her in Long Island, New York. Taken early in the morning or late in the day, before sunset, the photographs belong to Campbell’s personal collection and showcase the model and her team, cheerful, and working on the specifics of the shoot on the beach. The cover itself also features Campbell almost breaking into a laugh with her head facing up towards the blue sky. Unlike most magazine covers, this cover is almost simple and elegant, and presents Campbell thriving while finding her footing in the industry. She looks as though she is decorated in gold befitting a Christmas issue of the magazine.
This room also features a recreation of Campbell’s dressing room at Claridges, the London hotel where she stayed in the 1990s. The room is emblematic of Campbell’s busy schedule, one which required her to frequent hotels in London, Paris, Milan and New York, moving from one shoot location to another. It also showcases the luxurious lifestyle that the supermodel lived in her constantly growing career. Campbell’s path to success - being found while shopping with her friends and instantly whisked off to different countries to walk the runway, is a dream not just for models but one that many have dreamt of. This vicarious access into her lifestyle through her dressing room offers insight, akin to an interview in a magazine, arousing the curiosity of the audience.
The design of the dressing room is worthy of examination, partially styled by Campbell herself; multiple dresses hang on two walls, with a rack of clothes on the third. The dressing table is placed against the wall and is littered with cosmetics, clothes and jewellery. The room plays with the imagination of the audience, focusing on the elements they would most likely suspect the model to own. The positioning of the items is similar to the vintage shop, Virginia, located on Portland Road next to London’s Notting Hill. Full of the most exquisite collection of vintage designer items, Virginia Bates replicates the look of her store in this glass box at the V&A. Campbell was known to be one of Bates’ glamorous, A-list clientele and this room is not only a nod to their friendship, but also brings together both of their legacies in one small space.
The exhibition brings to life Campbell’s journey and highlights her close working relationship with the designer, Yves Saint Laurent. It showcases her most iconic outfits worn on the runway, at press conferences and even the one she wore leaving the New York City Department of Sanitation after serving five days of court-ordered community service. It focuses on how Campbell became a household name and one of the most recognised and influential Black women worldwide, leading to the media closely watching her every move. However, what the exhibition is so close to achieving - making the audience truly understand the power the supermodel status holds, and the magnetic beauty of Campbell’s work, is somewhat lost in the series of clothes that it showcases next. True to its emphasis on fashion, the exhibition focuses on Campbell’s clothes and the story they tell, leaving the audience wanting. If you find yourself at the V&A, while this is an interesting exhibition for someone who loves fashion, it is the Fragile Beauty exhibition, featuring photographs from Sir Elton John and the David Furnish Collection, which I believe is a must-see instead.
NAOMI In Fashion is showing at V&A South Kensington until 6th April 2025.
Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection is showing at V&A South Kensington until 5th January 2025.
Displayed on a thin, vertical screen at the entrance to NAOMI In Fashion at the Victoria and Albert Museum is a one-minute forty-second video compilation of Naomi Campbell's iconic and powerful struts down the catwalk from 1987 to the present day. This visual display is placed in a dark room, supplemented by a board that describes Campbell’s journey entering the fashion industry, beginning with the quote, “I never thought I was going to be a model”. Campbell was found by the modelling agent, Beth Boldt, on a day out in Covent Garden when the model was only fifteen years old. The rest, the exhibition tells us, is history. Just a few years later, Campbell was on the front cover of British Vogue and was walking down the runway in not just London, but in Paris and New York. This exhibition at the V&A takes us through Naomi Campbell’s journey to becoming a supermodel.
In the first room of this exhibition, displayed in glass, is Campbell’s first Vogue cover - the British edition’s December 1987 issue, besides behind-the-scenes images photographing her in Long Island, New York. Taken early in the morning or late in the day, before sunset, the photographs belong to Campbell’s personal collection and showcase the model and her team, cheerful, and working on the specifics of the shoot on the beach. The cover itself also features Campbell almost breaking into a laugh with her head facing up towards the blue sky. Unlike most magazine covers, this cover is almost simple and elegant, and presents Campbell thriving while finding her footing in the industry. She looks as though she is decorated in gold befitting a Christmas issue of the magazine.
This room also features a recreation of Campbell’s dressing room at Claridges, the London hotel where she stayed in the 1990s. The room is emblematic of Campbell’s busy schedule, one which required her to frequent hotels in London, Paris, Milan and New York, moving from one shoot location to another. It also showcases the luxurious lifestyle that the supermodel lived in her constantly growing career. Campbell’s path to success - being found while shopping with her friends and instantly whisked off to different countries to walk the runway, is a dream not just for models but one that many have dreamt of. This vicarious access into her lifestyle through her dressing room offers insight, akin to an interview in a magazine, arousing the curiosity of the audience.
The design of the dressing room is worthy of examination, partially styled by Campbell herself; multiple dresses hang on two walls, with a rack of clothes on the third. The dressing table is placed against the wall and is littered with cosmetics, clothes and jewellery. The room plays with the imagination of the audience, focusing on the elements they would most likely suspect the model to own. The positioning of the items is similar to the vintage shop, Virginia, located on Portland Road next to London’s Notting Hill. Full of the most exquisite collection of vintage designer items, Virginia Bates replicates the look of her store in this glass box at the V&A. Campbell was known to be one of Bates’ glamorous, A-list clientele and this room is not only a nod to their friendship, but also brings together both of their legacies in one small space.
The exhibition brings to life Campbell’s journey and highlights her close working relationship with the designer, Yves Saint Laurent. It showcases her most iconic outfits worn on the runway, at press conferences and even the one she wore leaving the New York City Department of Sanitation after serving five days of court-ordered community service. It focuses on how Campbell became a household name and one of the most recognised and influential Black women worldwide, leading to the media closely watching her every move. However, what the exhibition is so close to achieving - making the audience truly understand the power the supermodel status holds, and the magnetic beauty of Campbell’s work, is somewhat lost in the series of clothes that it showcases next. True to its emphasis on fashion, the exhibition focuses on Campbell’s clothes and the story they tell, leaving the audience wanting. If you find yourself at the V&A, while this is an interesting exhibition for someone who loves fashion, it is the Fragile Beauty exhibition, featuring photographs from Sir Elton John and the David Furnish Collection, which I believe is a must-see instead.
NAOMI In Fashion is showing at V&A South Kensington until 6th April 2025.
Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection is showing at V&A South Kensington until 5th January 2025.
Displayed on a thin, vertical screen at the entrance to NAOMI In Fashion at the Victoria and Albert Museum is a one-minute forty-second video compilation of Naomi Campbell's iconic and powerful struts down the catwalk from 1987 to the present day. This visual display is placed in a dark room, supplemented by a board that describes Campbell’s journey entering the fashion industry, beginning with the quote, “I never thought I was going to be a model”. Campbell was found by the modelling agent, Beth Boldt, on a day out in Covent Garden when the model was only fifteen years old. The rest, the exhibition tells us, is history. Just a few years later, Campbell was on the front cover of British Vogue and was walking down the runway in not just London, but in Paris and New York. This exhibition at the V&A takes us through Naomi Campbell’s journey to becoming a supermodel.
In the first room of this exhibition, displayed in glass, is Campbell’s first Vogue cover - the British edition’s December 1987 issue, besides behind-the-scenes images photographing her in Long Island, New York. Taken early in the morning or late in the day, before sunset, the photographs belong to Campbell’s personal collection and showcase the model and her team, cheerful, and working on the specifics of the shoot on the beach. The cover itself also features Campbell almost breaking into a laugh with her head facing up towards the blue sky. Unlike most magazine covers, this cover is almost simple and elegant, and presents Campbell thriving while finding her footing in the industry. She looks as though she is decorated in gold befitting a Christmas issue of the magazine.
This room also features a recreation of Campbell’s dressing room at Claridges, the London hotel where she stayed in the 1990s. The room is emblematic of Campbell’s busy schedule, one which required her to frequent hotels in London, Paris, Milan and New York, moving from one shoot location to another. It also showcases the luxurious lifestyle that the supermodel lived in her constantly growing career. Campbell’s path to success - being found while shopping with her friends and instantly whisked off to different countries to walk the runway, is a dream not just for models but one that many have dreamt of. This vicarious access into her lifestyle through her dressing room offers insight, akin to an interview in a magazine, arousing the curiosity of the audience.
The design of the dressing room is worthy of examination, partially styled by Campbell herself; multiple dresses hang on two walls, with a rack of clothes on the third. The dressing table is placed against the wall and is littered with cosmetics, clothes and jewellery. The room plays with the imagination of the audience, focusing on the elements they would most likely suspect the model to own. The positioning of the items is similar to the vintage shop, Virginia, located on Portland Road next to London’s Notting Hill. Full of the most exquisite collection of vintage designer items, Virginia Bates replicates the look of her store in this glass box at the V&A. Campbell was known to be one of Bates’ glamorous, A-list clientele and this room is not only a nod to their friendship, but also brings together both of their legacies in one small space.
The exhibition brings to life Campbell’s journey and highlights her close working relationship with the designer, Yves Saint Laurent. It showcases her most iconic outfits worn on the runway, at press conferences and even the one she wore leaving the New York City Department of Sanitation after serving five days of court-ordered community service. It focuses on how Campbell became a household name and one of the most recognised and influential Black women worldwide, leading to the media closely watching her every move. However, what the exhibition is so close to achieving - making the audience truly understand the power the supermodel status holds, and the magnetic beauty of Campbell’s work, is somewhat lost in the series of clothes that it showcases next. True to its emphasis on fashion, the exhibition focuses on Campbell’s clothes and the story they tell, leaving the audience wanting. If you find yourself at the V&A, while this is an interesting exhibition for someone who loves fashion, it is the Fragile Beauty exhibition, featuring photographs from Sir Elton John and the David Furnish Collection, which I believe is a must-see instead.
NAOMI In Fashion is showing at V&A South Kensington until 6th April 2025.
Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection is showing at V&A South Kensington until 5th January 2025.
Displayed on a thin, vertical screen at the entrance to NAOMI In Fashion at the Victoria and Albert Museum is a one-minute forty-second video compilation of Naomi Campbell's iconic and powerful struts down the catwalk from 1987 to the present day. This visual display is placed in a dark room, supplemented by a board that describes Campbell’s journey entering the fashion industry, beginning with the quote, “I never thought I was going to be a model”. Campbell was found by the modelling agent, Beth Boldt, on a day out in Covent Garden when the model was only fifteen years old. The rest, the exhibition tells us, is history. Just a few years later, Campbell was on the front cover of British Vogue and was walking down the runway in not just London, but in Paris and New York. This exhibition at the V&A takes us through Naomi Campbell’s journey to becoming a supermodel.
In the first room of this exhibition, displayed in glass, is Campbell’s first Vogue cover - the British edition’s December 1987 issue, besides behind-the-scenes images photographing her in Long Island, New York. Taken early in the morning or late in the day, before sunset, the photographs belong to Campbell’s personal collection and showcase the model and her team, cheerful, and working on the specifics of the shoot on the beach. The cover itself also features Campbell almost breaking into a laugh with her head facing up towards the blue sky. Unlike most magazine covers, this cover is almost simple and elegant, and presents Campbell thriving while finding her footing in the industry. She looks as though she is decorated in gold befitting a Christmas issue of the magazine.
This room also features a recreation of Campbell’s dressing room at Claridges, the London hotel where she stayed in the 1990s. The room is emblematic of Campbell’s busy schedule, one which required her to frequent hotels in London, Paris, Milan and New York, moving from one shoot location to another. It also showcases the luxurious lifestyle that the supermodel lived in her constantly growing career. Campbell’s path to success - being found while shopping with her friends and instantly whisked off to different countries to walk the runway, is a dream not just for models but one that many have dreamt of. This vicarious access into her lifestyle through her dressing room offers insight, akin to an interview in a magazine, arousing the curiosity of the audience.
The design of the dressing room is worthy of examination, partially styled by Campbell herself; multiple dresses hang on two walls, with a rack of clothes on the third. The dressing table is placed against the wall and is littered with cosmetics, clothes and jewellery. The room plays with the imagination of the audience, focusing on the elements they would most likely suspect the model to own. The positioning of the items is similar to the vintage shop, Virginia, located on Portland Road next to London’s Notting Hill. Full of the most exquisite collection of vintage designer items, Virginia Bates replicates the look of her store in this glass box at the V&A. Campbell was known to be one of Bates’ glamorous, A-list clientele and this room is not only a nod to their friendship, but also brings together both of their legacies in one small space.
The exhibition brings to life Campbell’s journey and highlights her close working relationship with the designer, Yves Saint Laurent. It showcases her most iconic outfits worn on the runway, at press conferences and even the one she wore leaving the New York City Department of Sanitation after serving five days of court-ordered community service. It focuses on how Campbell became a household name and one of the most recognised and influential Black women worldwide, leading to the media closely watching her every move. However, what the exhibition is so close to achieving - making the audience truly understand the power the supermodel status holds, and the magnetic beauty of Campbell’s work, is somewhat lost in the series of clothes that it showcases next. True to its emphasis on fashion, the exhibition focuses on Campbell’s clothes and the story they tell, leaving the audience wanting. If you find yourself at the V&A, while this is an interesting exhibition for someone who loves fashion, it is the Fragile Beauty exhibition, featuring photographs from Sir Elton John and the David Furnish Collection, which I believe is a must-see instead.
NAOMI In Fashion is showing at V&A South Kensington until 6th April 2025.
Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection is showing at V&A South Kensington until 5th January 2025.
Displayed on a thin, vertical screen at the entrance to NAOMI In Fashion at the Victoria and Albert Museum is a one-minute forty-second video compilation of Naomi Campbell's iconic and powerful struts down the catwalk from 1987 to the present day. This visual display is placed in a dark room, supplemented by a board that describes Campbell’s journey entering the fashion industry, beginning with the quote, “I never thought I was going to be a model”. Campbell was found by the modelling agent, Beth Boldt, on a day out in Covent Garden when the model was only fifteen years old. The rest, the exhibition tells us, is history. Just a few years later, Campbell was on the front cover of British Vogue and was walking down the runway in not just London, but in Paris and New York. This exhibition at the V&A takes us through Naomi Campbell’s journey to becoming a supermodel.
In the first room of this exhibition, displayed in glass, is Campbell’s first Vogue cover - the British edition’s December 1987 issue, besides behind-the-scenes images photographing her in Long Island, New York. Taken early in the morning or late in the day, before sunset, the photographs belong to Campbell’s personal collection and showcase the model and her team, cheerful, and working on the specifics of the shoot on the beach. The cover itself also features Campbell almost breaking into a laugh with her head facing up towards the blue sky. Unlike most magazine covers, this cover is almost simple and elegant, and presents Campbell thriving while finding her footing in the industry. She looks as though she is decorated in gold befitting a Christmas issue of the magazine.
This room also features a recreation of Campbell’s dressing room at Claridges, the London hotel where she stayed in the 1990s. The room is emblematic of Campbell’s busy schedule, one which required her to frequent hotels in London, Paris, Milan and New York, moving from one shoot location to another. It also showcases the luxurious lifestyle that the supermodel lived in her constantly growing career. Campbell’s path to success - being found while shopping with her friends and instantly whisked off to different countries to walk the runway, is a dream not just for models but one that many have dreamt of. This vicarious access into her lifestyle through her dressing room offers insight, akin to an interview in a magazine, arousing the curiosity of the audience.
The design of the dressing room is worthy of examination, partially styled by Campbell herself; multiple dresses hang on two walls, with a rack of clothes on the third. The dressing table is placed against the wall and is littered with cosmetics, clothes and jewellery. The room plays with the imagination of the audience, focusing on the elements they would most likely suspect the model to own. The positioning of the items is similar to the vintage shop, Virginia, located on Portland Road next to London’s Notting Hill. Full of the most exquisite collection of vintage designer items, Virginia Bates replicates the look of her store in this glass box at the V&A. Campbell was known to be one of Bates’ glamorous, A-list clientele and this room is not only a nod to their friendship, but also brings together both of their legacies in one small space.
The exhibition brings to life Campbell’s journey and highlights her close working relationship with the designer, Yves Saint Laurent. It showcases her most iconic outfits worn on the runway, at press conferences and even the one she wore leaving the New York City Department of Sanitation after serving five days of court-ordered community service. It focuses on how Campbell became a household name and one of the most recognised and influential Black women worldwide, leading to the media closely watching her every move. However, what the exhibition is so close to achieving - making the audience truly understand the power the supermodel status holds, and the magnetic beauty of Campbell’s work, is somewhat lost in the series of clothes that it showcases next. True to its emphasis on fashion, the exhibition focuses on Campbell’s clothes and the story they tell, leaving the audience wanting. If you find yourself at the V&A, while this is an interesting exhibition for someone who loves fashion, it is the Fragile Beauty exhibition, featuring photographs from Sir Elton John and the David Furnish Collection, which I believe is a must-see instead.
NAOMI In Fashion is showing at V&A South Kensington until 6th April 2025.
Fragile Beauty: Photographs from the Sir Elton John and David Furnish Collection is showing at V&A South Kensington until 5th January 2025.
