Monday 21 March 2011

Mon 21st March: "Yohji's Women" at The Wapping Project Bankside









When I was 17 and studying my GNVQ fashion (a.k.a going nowhere very quickly / generally not very qualified) my class took a research trip to Paris. I distinctly remember my tutor making a bee line for the Yamamoto shop to ask the sales assistant for a copy of the season's catalogue. I wondered why she was so excited and intent on picking up this package so I followed suit and did the same guessing it was something special. Now wish I knew where Ive put that red thread stitcked book with images by Inez van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin, art directed by M/M (Paris). OH DANG! One of those seminal images is now hanging in the exhibition 'Yohji's Women' at The Wapping Project Bankside to coincide with the V&A's major exhibition celebrating the work of Yohji Yamamoto.

'Yohji's Women' explores Yohji's collaborations on these collectible catalogues having worked with an incredible mix of his contemporary photographers including Nick Knight, Paolo Roversi, Peter Lindbergh, Craig McDean, Sarah Moon and Max Vadukul. The show has selected particular imagery to pull out and depict the 'Yohji Woman' which is a strong muse who would not have fitted the conventional magazine archetypes of the time............... which produced one of fashion history's most iconic images - Nick Knight's 1986 silhouette with red tulle bustle............ and also 1988 Susie Bick smoking............ the list is long............

To see what else is included and find out more about the exhibition gohere.

Yohji's Women, 12 March-14 May 2011, 65a Hopton Street, London, SE1 9LR

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