Written and attended by Florrie Clarke
I was delighted to be asked to attend the private view of the new Masters of Style:Celebrating the Stories behind Italian Fashion. exhibition at Somerset house on behalf of BSB. You can always guarentee that Somerset House exhibitions will be of the highest quality and the subject really interested me. The show is sponsored by Peroni Nastro Azzurro. The brand, which loves to celebrate Italian lifestyle, worked with curator Colin McDowell on the exhibition which marks the 150th anniversary of the unification of Italy.
At the party there was a wonderful, excited buzz of a contented crowd and it was lovely to hear Colin McDowell himself speak about the work he curated so brilliantly.

Designers spend six months tirelessly working up to a fashion show that lasts mere minutes, but the collection lives on. This exhibition explores what happens after the last model walks down the catwalk, when the designers have to consider how they want their collection to be taken forward into the new season, creating a very personal brand identity by working with photographers and models. The exhibition hosts a fascinating range of images from illustrations and glamourous black and white shots of decades past to more recent iconic images I am familiar with from my magazines, such as Madonna as a domestic goddess photographed by Steven Mesiel. It's all a visual feast and the rich histories of the fashion houses are really intriguing. 


The designers involved are all renowned for their style and high quality of workmanship. They are: Georgio Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, Salvatore Ferragamo, Gucci, Missoni and Prada. Each designer has personally chosen their favourite images, making it a very special exhibition. 















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