Beyond the Little Black Dress

Beyond the Little Black Dress deconstructed this iconic garment and examined the radical power of the colour black in fashion.

In 1926 Coco Chanel designed a simple, short black dress. The little black dress became a wardrobe staple and a blank canvas for future generations to reflect broader political and cultural shifts, challenge social norms around race, gender and sexuality and reflect evolving ideals of beauty and identity.

Featuring over 60 garments, this exhibition charted a century of fashion through a series of themed, immersive displays. On display were early 20th century pieces by Chanel, Dior and Jean Muir alongside contemporary looks by designers such as Gareth Pugh, Simone Rocha, Comme des Garçons and ground-breaking Black British designers like Joe Casely-Hayford and Maximilian.

The exhibition featured Black British designers whose work explores both Blackness in terms of identity and the role the colour black plays in crafting a futuristic, sci-fi aesthetic. Elsewhere, the exhibition considered how perceptions of the colour black differ in a global context, as well as how the intervention of smart technologies is establishing a blueprint for a more sustainable future.