Somerset House Celebrates British Fashion Patron
1st December 2013 Elegant Somerset House in London is the venue for a major fashion exhibition celebrating the extraordinary life and wardrobe of Isabella Blow – the late British fashion icon and muse. On show are over one hundred items from her incredibly rich fashion collection, one of the most important private collections of late 20th Century/early 21st Century British fashion design, and now owned by another style icon, Daphne Guinness. This includes garments from the designer talents Isabella discovered and launched, including Alexander McQueen, Philip Treacy, Hussein Chalayan and Julien Macdonald amongst others.
Blow was born in 1950’s post-war Britian, with a family history that can be traced back to the 14th Century. Highlights of the exhibition include family photographs and the sculpture entitled “Isabella Blow” by Tim Noble and Sue Webster. At the graduate shows from Central Saint Martins and the Royal College of Art, she discovered Alexander McQueen and Philip Treacy. Isabella had an amazing eye for spotting talent, and then wore the designer’s clothes everywhere to showcase their creativity. Her collection included designs by McQueen, Fendi, Dior, Prada, Viktor and Rolf, John Galliano for Dior, Manolo Blahnik and Marni, plus wonderful hats from Treacy – all on display at the exhibition.
Isabella Blow: Fashion Galore! is a fitting tribute to a woman who loved fashion and did so much to promote British designers. Until 2 March 2014. www.somersethouse.org.uk JG
Photo: Isabella Blow and Philip Treacy 2003 by Donald McPherson
