The Style Examiner: London College of Fashion Announces Exhibition ‘Framed! Contemporary Eyewear in Fashion’

Monday, 27 August 2012

London College of Fashion Announces Exhibition ‘Framed! Contemporary Eyewear in Fashion’

The Fashion Space Gallery of London College of Fashion (LCF) has announced that it will display the exhibition ‘Framed! Contemporary Eyewear in Fashion’ between 12 September and 3 November 2012. The exhibition, which launches LCF’s 2012/13 programme of exhibitions and events, intends to examine the cultural significance of contemporary eyewear. It will feature over 200 frames – some never seen in public before – loaned from public and private collections, eyewear companies, fashion houses and bespoke makers.

Iris Apfel, image courtesy of Eyebobs

On display will be iconic frames by British companies like Cutler and Gross, Oliver Goldsmith and Anglo-American alongside world-renowned brands such Ray Ban, Moscot, Cazal, and Stevie Boi (who counts Lady Gaga and Nicky Minaj as fans). Other featured brands include Kirks Originals, Alain Mikli, A Morir, Jean Charles de Castelbajac, Carrera, Chanel, Christian Dior, Linda Farrow, Gianfranco Ferré, Mercura, Mykita, Paloma Picasso, Pierre Cardin, Pierre Marly, Polaroid, Police, Prabal Gurung, Prada, Pucci, Silhouette, Tatty Divine, Theo, Thierry Lasry, Viennaline and Versace.

The exhibition will chart the history of eyewear via archival imagery incorporated into a timeline by Emily Alston. The exhibition design will depict eyewear’s historical development from the mid-twentieth century until the present day, emphasising its role within fashion imagery and popular culture and exploring how celebrities, actors and personalities have adopted spectacles and sunglasses as part of a signature look. To showcase and analyse the luxury status of eyewear, the exhibition will showcase a giant pair of frames by Nairobi-based artist Cyrus Kabiru and will also feature catwalk collaborations and new experimental prototypes by Bernhard Wilhelm, Erdem, Giles, Thomas Tait, Jeremy Scott, Chloe McCormick and NODH, Edward Gucewicz, Emma Montague, SPIT Design and Studio Swine. Frames include pieces not yet available such as American label Eye-bobs collaboration with fashion doyenne Iris Apfel, to be launched in 2013.

Spectacles circa 1950, courtesy C.W. DIxey & Son

‘Framed! Contemporary Eyewear in Fashion’ will be the first in a series of exhibitions organised by LCF to explore different objects and concepts often overlooked in the context of contemporary fashion exhibitions. While these objects have fluctuated at the edges of the fashion system, this series wishes to demonstrate the integral role that they play in the history and development of the industry. These exhibitions will also explore how their visibility and varying status serve as indicators of the complex relationships between cultural tastes and values, advances in design and manufacture, fashion imagery and patterns of consumption.