Curator Talk: Beautiful People

Discover how a handful of Chelsea boutiques sparked a fashion revolution in the mid-1960s in this panel discussion.

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Meet the collectors and curators behind the upcoming exhibition, Beautiful People: The Boutique in 1960s Counterculture in this illustrated panel discussion chaired by Head of Exhibitions, Dennis Nothdruft.

Discover how a handful of Chelsea boutiques sparked a fashion revolution in the mid-1960s. The panel will be discussing fabulous and rare examples from these era-defining stores and designers, examining the shared free spirit of Granny Takes a Trip, Hung On You, Apple, Biba, Mr Fish, Thea Porter, Ossie Clark and more. In these boutiques, androgyny, individuality and flamboyance ruled.

Their outrageously striking designs were inspired by Art Nouveau and Eastern mysticism, alongside the prominence of psychedelic graphics. Changing attitudes towards gender and sexuality, framed by the socio-political climate of the time, inspired new ideas, freedom of expression and an opposition to establishment values.

This is a recording of the online event, Curator Talk: Beautiful People, which originally took place on Friday 1 October 2021 via Microsoft Teams.

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