Last few weeks to catch The Morgan Stanley Exhibition: THE MISSING THREAD

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There's only two weeks left to catch this incredible exhibition, which reveals an essential and previously untold part of the British cultural story. The show merits a special place in your holiday calendar, so don't miss out. 

An uplifting and provocative celebration of creative Black resistance, The Missing Thread identifies a Black British Renaissance driven by a kaleidoscopic ambition, which fundamentally transformed British fashion, art, culture and design.

UNTIL 07 JAN 2024
East Wing Galleries via Strand Entrance
£12.00 / £9.50 Conc.25 and under for just £5.00

The Missing Thread: Untold Stories of Black British Fashion
This autumn, Somerset House explores the stories of Black British fashion in a major new exhibition, The Missing Thread, curated by the Black Orientated Legacy Development Agency (BOLD). Spanning from the 1970s to the present day, The Missing Thread charts the shifting landscape of Black British culture and the unique contribution it has made to Britain’s rich design history.

The exhibition examines how the cultural, counter-cultural, political and socio-economic backdrop of the 20th and 21st centuries have shaped the identity of Black style and in turn mainstream fashion culture. Extending far beyond the realm of the catwalk, the exhibition spotlights and contextualises the profound impact of Black creativity through music, photography, art and design.

Black creativity has had a profound influence on British culture and continues to be referenced to great effect, often without acknowledgement. The exhibition seeks to redress this, celebrating the unique visions and impact of an often unseen generation of trailblazing Black creatives who were denied access to the fashion industry, or who despite achieving great success, have had their contributions misrepresented or excluded from the story of British fashion.

The exhibition tells the story of Black creativity through four distinct themes - home, tailoring, performance and nightlife - each referencing the spaces which inspired and allowed the culture of Black British fashion and design to develop on its own terms. Rather than approaching fashion as an artform created in isolation, the Black contribution to British fashion culture is set within a broader socio-political context, placing garments alongside artworks, cultural artefacts, music, memorabilia, videos and installations. The Missing Thread also spotlights the genius of one of Britain's most influential Black fashion designers, the late Joe Casely-Hayford, presenting the designer’s archive in an exhibition format for the first time in the UK. Finally, a series of original commissions by contemporary Black designers, including Nicholas Daley, Bianca Saunders and Saul Nash, celebrate the generational lineage of Black creative excellence in British fashion.

The Missing Thread is part-party, part-urgent political commentary, and part-overdue recognition of the seismic influence the Black community has had on style in the UK. -The Face

Stories of Our Style
Our clothes tell stories, not only of ourselves but also those of the makers and artists who conceived and made them. Watch our in-conversation with two of fashion's greatest storytellers, Ozwald Boateng and Bianca Saunders, and learn more about what's woven into the fabric of what we wear. Chaired by Andrew Ibi.

Shop & Catalogue
In addition to stocking the beautiful catalogue designed by Paul Ayres and edited by co-curator Jason Jules, our Shop features a specially curated selection of exclusive products from designers and creatives in the exhibition, with new and limited edition items dropping each week. Perfect for those last minute Christmas presents or a treat for yourself.