Written work

A long-overdue homage to the late queer icon Leigh Bowery, this exhibition at the Tate Modern does not disappoint. The exhibition covers most of Bowery’s lifetime, and includes his work, some of his possessions, and artwork of him. It’s loud, camp, vulgar- what some would call an eyesore. Exactly as Bowery would have wanted.

‘Leigh Bowery!’ is a totally immersive exhibition that Tate has gone all-out for. Walls in one room are covered in the same Star Trek wallpaper Bowery had in his flat, which he shared with close friend Trojan. Walls in another are painted red with huge silver circles, like an inverted recreation of Bowery’s iconic red spotted makeup. Videos and music overlap each other throughout the exhibition, creating a vibrant soundscape like inside the nightclubs Bowery spent his life in.

The exhibition truly honours Bowery, and portrays many elements of his life. He is lauded for his work as a designer, an artist, and a revolutionary queer figure, but he is also recognised as a human. Exhibition curators did not shy away from depicting the grit of Bowery’s life, be it in his letters denoting his sexual encounters, the half-naked images of his explicit performances, or even the direct recognition of the offensive nature of some of his work. Other belongings include Bowery’s music certificate and his Transport for London card- reminding viewers that Bowery was not just an artist, but a person too.

It seems a fitting time to spotlight Bowery- a queer icon who rejected social norms in a period of growing conservatism. A man who actively avoided doing things the ‘right’ way (see heels in clogs) and dismissed labels. Maybe Tate is calling for the next Bowery to emerge and provide us all with some sense of hope?

The ‘Leigh Bowery!’ exhibition runs at the Tate Modern from February 27 to August 31 2025.

Chanel presented its Spring/Summer 2019 ready-to-wear collection on the runway on Tuesday. Guests including Vanessa Paradis and Pharrell Williams attended the show in Paris’s Grand Palais, which creative director Karl Lagerfeld transformed into a beach complete with sand and real waves. The collection boasted 86 looks which spoke to both the sophistication and the playfulness of Chanel’s brand identity.

Models adorned with layered pearl, gold and multicoloured necklaces strutted barefoot through the shallow water in time with the techno music, pastel-coloured mules or sandals in hand. A handful of pieces included scattered sparkly gold detailing, appearing to reference the sand. Though the collection was presented by the water, it contained a range of clothing styles, from sparkly evening wear to tweed suits to minidresses with retro prints.

Lagerfeld overtly referenced the label through the motifs of both the brand name and logo across many pieces. Gold necklaces, earrings and bracelets read ‘CHANEL’, as do shirt pockets and two-piece sets. Logos appear on earrings, dress fronts, straps, shoes, and handbags. This logo-centric approach to fashion design has become popular in recent seasons amongst brands including Gucci and Louis Vuitton.

Whilst this collection is frequently on-the-nose with its brand name, Lagerfeld also made sure to pay homage to the Chanel identity through its iconic design elements. Much of the collection included the classic Chanel tweed material, and there was no shortage of pearl necklaces.

Other notable elements of the collection include the lapis blue lace cover-ups, black sequinned evening wear, straw hats, and crossbody bags- the latter of which many models wore two.

Lagerfeld, through this collection, caters to both the Chanel woman and the Chanel girl. Whilst the Chanel girl ambles across the beach in a babydoll dress with her toes in the water, the Chanel woman slips into her heels and follows the wooden path.