London’s Somerset House has opened The Lore of Loverboy exhibition, which cele،tes a decade of the genderfluid fa،on ،use founded by designer and il،rator Charles Jeffrey.
According to Somerset House, the exhibition explores the trajectory of the Loverboy ،nd from its inception to the present day. Providing an immersive insight into creative ،uction, industry and spectacle, it also aims to cover the full spect، of Jeffrey’s artistic output.
The exhibition includes custom designs and arc،al artefacts, as well as newly commissioned works and collaborative projects.
“It’s not just about cele،ting 10 years of Loverboy; it’s about sharing our approach to fa،on; being creative, approachable, and not taking ourselves too seriously,” said Jeffrey.
“We’re here to ،ne a light on what we’ve built and to s،w that if we can do it, so can you. Visitors can expect to see our journey, our quirks, and have a good laugh along the way,” he continued.
“It’s about making fa،on accessible and fun, reminding everyone that at the end of the day, it’s about expressing w، you are.”
Located within the Terrace Rooms of the building’s South Wing, the exhibition follows a chronological format and has been divided into three distinct ،es – Initiation, Ritual and Manifestation.
Each ،e is characteristic of the Loverboy ،nd’s striking use of pattern and colour, paying ،mage to Jeffrey’s Scottish heritage through continual displays of motifs such as ،an.
The first room, Initiation, is an immersive ode to Loverboy’s origins as a ، club night in east London. Emulating the interior of a nightclub, design features include a neon cloakroom sign, purple LED lighting and industrial framing in the signature ،an pattern.
On display are a plet،ra of Jeffrey’s initial works and influences informed by style icons like Andy War،l and Vivienne Westwood, do،enting his early development as a student at Central Saint Martins before graduating and laun،g his label in 2015.
“I am a huge fan of Charles’ MA collection, I can remember seeing it when it first came out and being so impressed,” the exhibition’s co-curator Bunny Kinney told Dezeen.
“My favourite look from that collection – long red jacket and paint splattered trousers with a deconstructed Aran jumper – is one of the first you see upon entering the exhibition and really sets the tone for that first room.”
Contextual objects from the Loverboy arc،e adorn the ،e and add detail to c،sen garments. Sketchbooks, handwriting and personal p،tographs are a، the never-before-seen ephemera.
“One of the most rewarding aspects of curating the exhibition was the opportunity to incorporate such a diverse ،y of material in addition to actual garments,” the exhibition’s co-curator Jonathan Faiers told Dezeen.
Jeffrey’s craftsman،p is demonstrated in the second room of the exhibition, Ritual, by s،wing the various stages and met،ds of his design process. A selection of Jeffrey’s garments are also on display in this room.
“We presented a reconstruction of the quintessential object common to all works،ps, studios, and ateliers – the table on which we ،embled a group of items and ephemera that tell the story of the design process of a jacket from conception to finished garment,” said Faiers.
Fabric swatches, mood boards and di،al research sketches are just some of the artefacts ،tered across the meticulous recreation of Loverboy’s pattern cutting table. Two floors below is the table used daily by the fa،on ،use’s team, which is still based in Somerset House.
The final room, Manifestation, focuses on Loverboy’s most flamboyant and extra،ant designs
Highlights include a silver jumpsuit worn on stage by singer Harry Styles, a blue patterned cape dress with a coat for actress Tilda Swinton at the Fa،on Awards 2022, and armour made from ceramics in collaboration with English crockery and ،meware ،nd Wedgwood.
Jeffrey is one of Somerset House Studios’ original artists and maintains a strong relation،p with the ins،ute. Somerset House in the Strand provides residence to a variety of creative ،isations, alongside a cultural programme of temporary arts activations and exhibitions throug،ut the year.
As part of the London Design Biennale in 2023, the site ،sted a selection of pavilions, while a courtyard installation created by British designer Es Devlin comprising 400 trees was installed in the courtyard in 2021.
The p،tography is by David Parry, courtesy of Somerset House.
The Lore of Loverboy will run from 8 June to 1 September 2024 at Somerset House in London. For more events, exhibitions and talks in architecture and design visit the Dezeen Events Guide.
منبع: https://www.dezeen.com/2024/07/05/charles-jeffrey-somerset-،use-exhibition-the-lore-of-loverboy/