WHAT? Outlaws: Fashion Renegades of 80s London

WHERE? The Fashion and Textile Museum, 83 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3XF

WHEN? Now until 9th March 2025 

WHY GO?  For a blast from the past.  If ever there was an era that invited exhibitionism, it was the Eighties, with outrageous outfits and even more outrageous stories played out fearlessly in London’s legendary Taboo club.  Short lived though the club was, the legends live on through personalities  like Leigh Bowery, Boy George and choreographer Michael Clark.

The Taboo circle orchestrated a flamboyant fashion scene from scratch and left a legacy of gender neutral acceptance.  They may not have been the first men to wear dresses  (the Greeks got there first)  but they most certainly were the first to catch the eye of the world's fashion analysts.  Why did perfectly ordinary men suddenly transform themselves into wild habitués of the night? 

This rebellious exhibition, fittingly at the famous Fashion Museum is already attracting legions of Boy George fans, harking back to wild nights and even wilder fashion outfits.  It is virtually a shrine to Bowery whose name pops up throughout since he was a major instigator, distorting his body through clothes, masks and even prosthetics. 

The Taboo club is recreated, Kensington Market is raided for original outfits and Browns, the iconic boutique, is honoured with a window display commemorating the movement.

Needless to say, Browns, where Mrs Burstein had the ‘eye’ for spotting new talent, focused on the classier edgy Eighties when she virtually discovered designer John Galliano.

It’s all a heady mix of anarchic fashion and outlandish quotes, none more relevant than Boy George’s sentiment, “It felt like you had this naive idea that you could change things just by wearing something”. 

Judge for yourself, performance fashion is even more alive today.  Harry Styles must have been inspired!

IN THE KNOW  Tales from Taboo are peppered throughout the exhibition.  It’s said that Mick Jagger, one of numerous stars to visit, bumped into Bowery and their altercation sparked a less than friendly riposte, “Fuck off freak”, said Jagger to which Bowery replied, “Fuck off fossil”.