Photo credit: © Lucy Sutton-Long
One of London’s most hotly anticipated shows, Cecil Beaton’s Fashionable World, has opened at the National Portrait Gallery and will run until 11 January.
About
London-born Beaton (1904 – 1980) is well known for his photography, writings, paintings and interior, fashion and set designs. This major retrospective is the first to focus solely upon his fashion photography. Curated by photographic historian and Vogue’s contributing editor Robin Muir, the exhibition explores Beaton’s work through over 250 pieces, offering a fascinating insight into his world.
Ahead of the exhibition launch, NPG director Victoria Siddall explained: “The National Portrait Gallery has a long and distinguished history with Cecil Beaton. His work was the subject of the NPG’s first dedicated photography exhibition in 1968, made in collaboration with Beaton himself, as well as being the first solo survey accorded any living photographer in any national museum in Britain. We are honoured to be working with Vogue’s Robin Muir, whose exhaustive research, vision and flair will guide us through Beaton’s innovative and storied influences on the fashion world.”
The exhibition includes sketches, letters, costumes, video footage and photographs.
We were particularly interested in the exhibition as our corner of London, Mayfair, was very well known to Beaton. He socialised in the area as part of the Bright Young Things set, and in the 1920s, started his fashion photography career photographing his subjects in our locality.
Getting there
The National Portrait Gallery can be reached by taking the Piccadilly line from Green Park to Leicester Square. It’s a mile’s walk from Hertford Street along Piccadilly.