ARCHETYPES

Curated by Professor Andrew Groves and Robert Leach
15 May – 14 June 2015, London Gallery West

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The exhibition delves into the role of archetypal garments in the modern fashion design process, elucidating their sociological, political, and stylistic contexts and their subsequent appropriation as both garments and standalone works of functional design.

Six archetypal garments are featured; a Duffle Coat, a Denim Jacket, a Leather Biker, a Military Field Jacket, an MA1 Flying Jacket and a Trench Coat. The exhibition explores the history of these garments, from their functional origins to their appropriation by subcultures and reinvention by a slew of fashion designers. Alongside each of the original archetypes are the results of University students' research into those garments. They are contextualised visually and historically through moving imagery, including catwalk footage and film excerpts intercut with additional research imagery and student portfolio work.