North: Identity, Photography, Fashion

If you are from the North of England you might already have an idea of how this region influenced fashion and photography worldwide, but for everyone else the new exhibition at the Open Eye Gallery might be a great opportunity to learn more about this topic.
Tomorrow, the North: Identity, Photography, Fashion exhibition will open there and it is co-curated by the writer Lou Stoppard and Adam Murray. It will be open from the 6th of January to the 19th of March this year and it looks at the influence of the North of England on fashion and visual culture and showcases the way the Northern region is depicted, constructed and celebrated in select photographs, artworks and fashion collections.

“North: Identity, Photography, Fashion” explores different visions of the North and unpicks the themes that appear regularly in design and media and takes into account the rich cultural history of the region. It includes works from some of fashion’s most notable image makers, such as Jamie Hawkesworth and Alasdair McLellan. Furthermore, historic prints from Glen Luchford and Nick Knight are shown alongside works by contemporary artists such as Turner Prize winners Mark Leckey and Jeremy Deller.

The displayed fashion garments include a Raf Simons parka from the renowned A/W 2003 Control collection, which featured graphics from Peter Saville’s archive and made headlines this year for its current value of $20,000. Additionally, work by former label ‘New Power Studio’, one of the original recipients of Fashion East’s MAN award, will be exhibited alongside new works by rising talents such as Christopher Shannon and John Skelton.

Iconic archive shoes by adidas will also be on show, as well as new collaborative work by Hacienda designer Ben Kelly and American fashion designer Virgil Abloh, who is a long term fan of the sounds and graphics of 1980s Northern England. The exhibition also features interviews with talents born and bred in the North, exploring the influence of the region on visual style.