More great photos from last night’s Club to Catwalk: London Fashion In The 1980s press launch at the V&A in South Kensington. Toyah, Giddy Gavin and Steve Strange all looking fabulous. See another of Gavin’s photos of Toyah at our Gallery. (Thanks to Gavin | Photos © Giddy Gavin & V&A)
Toyah attended this evening’s launch of Club to Catwalk at the V&A Museum in London. The other photo is of the Melissa Caplan outfit, included in the exhibition, that Toyah only wore once and subsequently donated to Sheffield Rock Museum in 1987. Toyah also tweeted a photo of herself and Helen David at the launch, and the Official Toyah Facebook posted another photo of Toyah with the outfit. (Thanks to Andi)
The V&A Club To Catwalk: London Fashion In The 1980s exhibition opens on Wednesday, and runs for the next six months. Time for some related newsy bits:
• The Guardian: 1980s Throwback: Clubland’s charming impact on fashion examined at V&A: Curator of Club to Catwalk says Dynasty shoulder pads kept to a minimum in show that includes Adam Ant’s pirate outfit… The subcultures explored include familiar ones like New Romantic (see that pirate shirt and stagewear worn by Toyah Willcox), Goth and Rave.
• Charlie Porter: Club To Catwalk: London Fashion in the 80s opens soon at the V&A. A tour of its amazingness with curator Claire Wilcox: On Wednesday, an exhibition opens at the V&A titled Club To Catwalk: London Fashion In the 1980s. It’s taking the space previously occupied by the Ballgowns show, in the centre of the fashion room, split over two levels. Lower level is catwalk. Upper level is club. Both levels are amazing… “And then we have an outfit worn by Toyah by Melissa Caplan“.
• V&A: Club to Catwalk: About the Exhibition: Discover the creative explosion of London fashion in the 1980s in a major exhibition at the V&A. Through more than 85 outfits, Club to Catwalk: London Fashion in the 1980s showcases the bold and exciting new looks by the most experimental young designers of the decade.
• The Wall Street Journal: King’s Of The Wild Frontier: Club Culture and fashion collided head-on in 1980s London. As the city’s new nightclub scene became ever more frenetic and fantastical, young designers such as Rifat Özbek, Betty Jackson and John Galliano sought inspiration for their collections in the basements of West End venues.
• The Telegraph: From Club to Catwalk: Back to the Eighties: It was the ‘weird and wonderful’ clubbers who decided what we wore in the Eighties, says designer Wendy Dagworthy.
• Grazia: Club to Catwalk: London Fashion in the 1980s – An AMAZE New Exhibition At The V&A: If you enjoyed the V&A’s most recent block-busting exhibition, David Bowie Is, then there’s a strong chance you’ll like the next thing to pop up at the revered West London museum.
• Ultravie: From Club to Catwalk | Spandex and Sparkles at The V&A: Lycra pants, over-sized tees and form-fitting knits are coming out of the closet for the V&A’s fashion exhibition this summer.
A new update to Andrew York’s website, with six more arternative Toyah images added. In The Fairground has now been online for six months and has received constant visitors since launching in February, as well as lots of positive feedback for Andrew’s wonderful Toyah art.
Check out Dreamscape’s Gallery – We have virtually thousands of Toyah photos to browse from every era of her career. If I can find the time at some point I’d like to make it even more comprehensive.
• The Crack: We’re Here! We’re Queer! We’re Watching A Nice Bit Of Toyah!: Toyah! Amelia! Katrina! (From the Waves)! Someone pretending to be Steps! It can only mean that Newcastle Pride 2013 is nigh and about to shower you in excitement… And then there is Toyah. She scored huge success in the 80s with hits such as “It’s A Mystery”, “Thunder In The Mountains” and “I Want To Be Free” but here she’ll be showing off her experimental drone-noise (only kidding – she’ll be playing the hits).
• Bring The Noise: Film Feature: Top 5 Motorbike Movies: Quadrophenia: Perhaps more of a moped, rather than motorbike film but this 1979 film by Franc Roddam remains an iconic moment in British cinema. Starring Phil Daniels, Mark Wingett, Philip Davies, Lesley Ash, Toyah Willcox and, er… Sting…
• BBC Radio Solent: Read a full transcript of Toyah’s recent interview on Alex Dyke’s show at The Toyah Willcox Interview Archive.
• Tomorrow Calling: The 1993 short film Toyah starred in, Tomorrow Calling, played at the ‘Love Architecture Festival’ in Marget-On-Sea last Sunday: A short film adaptation of William Gibson’s The Gernsback Continuum. Bill is shooting architectural photographs of ‘futuristic’ buildings of the 1930s for a coffee table book, but as he frames up a deco bingo hall, a vast airship looms overhead… starring Colin Salmon, Don Henderson and Toyah Wilcox. 12 minutes duration, certificate 15.
• Midlands Today: A short interview with Toyah, on Midlands Today, at Melissa Mailer-Yates’ exhibition in 2008 just uploaded to ‘You Tube’.
As previously mentioned, Toyah’s Thunder In The Mountains image will be included in the forthcoming Victoria & Albert exhibition Club To Catwalk: London Fashion In The 80s, Toyah will also participate in a special accompanying event in November. Tickets will be available soon but Breaking Through has released further details:
CARYN FRANKLIN, TOYAH WILLCOX & BRIX START-SMITH: IN CONVERSATION
Friday 8 November / 18.30-19.30
Designed by women for women. Join Caryn, Toyah and Brix as they bring their thoughts, ideas, experiences and memories to a discussion on women who developed, fused and influenced fashion and music in 1980s London. An exclusive look at some of Toyah’s 80s performance costumes will also be part of the evening.
• Toyah also talks about the ‘Club To Catwalk’ exhibition and taking part in the ‘In Conversation’ event in her latest blog.
A variety of great Toyah news is included in the latest Breaking Through newsletter, just emailed out to subscribers this evening, including that Love Is The Law is to be released digitally on 15th July.
The track list includes the full 10-track album plus nine bonus tracks: To The Mountains High, Baptised In Fire, Haunted, Be Proud Be Loud (Be Heard), Laughing With The Fools, Urban Tribesman, The Furious Futures, Stand Proud, Ieya 1982 [Full Length Version].
A new digital booklet containing Toyah’s intro note, imagery and lyrics accompanies the new release. The cover has also been slightly revised. This also now means that Toyah’s complete Safari discography – every song – is available digitally. Fantastic news!
• Sign up to the ‘Breaking Through’ newsletter at toyahwillcox.com.
