Vogue 100: A Century of Style

Stylish exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery to mark the centenary of London Vogue.

There is a room on each decade and it is arranged so that you back in time around the show but move forwards to the present day again at the end with a magazine from ever year of the century. I thought this worked well expect that in the early rooms it mentioned the influence of earlier photographers who you hadn’t yet seen in the show. You did need some knowledge of the history of fashion photography to get the most from it.

I liked that each room had a different style to them which recognised the times but also gave the show great variety. The labelling and commentary was very good telling you about photographers, sitters and clothes but the whole stylish presentation of the show somehow put you off reading the detail. I would say that it wasn’t so much style over substance but style mugging substance. He substance was all there you just got diverted from it.

The show was as much a social history as a visual one, charting changes particularly in women’s lives. I liked the theme running though of Vogue encouraging contemporary art with many portraits of artists and the use of art work in the early editions.

The show was full of so many stunning images that it is hard to pick out favourites. I love the classic Cecil Beaton and Norman Parkinson black and white images but I’d also mention the Snowdon portrait of Rupert Everett and Prince Charles with chickens by Mario Testino. I also kept being drawn to work by Tim Walker and so I want to look out for him more in the future.

Closes on 22 May 2016.

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