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Fashion

Following her studies at the MedwayCollege of Art in Rochester, Kent, whereher mother taught, Zandra was admittedto the Royal College of Art In 1961 whereshe studied textile design. Her early textilefashion designs were considered toooutrageous by the traditional Britishmanufacturers and in 1969 sheestablished her own retail outlet infashionable Fulham Road, West London.Only three years later, in 1972, ZandraRhodes was awarded the first of manyaccolades she would receive in herlifetime. One of the new wave of Britishdesigners who put London at theforefront of the international fashionscene in the 1970s, Zandra establishedherself as a ‘design force’ to be reckonedwith. In 1974 she was awarded RoyalDesigner for Industry and four years laterwas made a Fellow of the Society ofIndustrial Arts. Her 1986 Doctorates, from the Royal College of Art, HonorisCausa (DRCA), London, and from theInternational Fine Arts College, HonorisCausa (DFA), Miami, Florida, were followedin 1987 when Zandra Rhodes was awardedDoctor of Design (DD), Honoris Causa, bythe Council for National Academic Awards,London. Adored and honoured on bothsides of the Atlantic, she won the AlphaAward (1985) from Saks Fifth Avenue, New Orleans, Louisiana for the ‘Best Showof the Year’. But the jewel in her glitteringcrown came when she was made aCommander of the British Empire by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1997.

Zandra's lifestyle has proved to be asdramatic and glamourous as herextroverted designs. With her pink andsometimes radiant red hair, theatricalmakeup and spectacular jewellery, she hasstamped her identity on the internationalworld of fashion.

Her designs have always been clear,creative statements; dramatic butgraceful, bold yet feminine. Her garmentshave a timeless quality that makes eachunmistakably a Rhodes creation. Zandra'sinspiration has always been organicmaterial and nature. Her innovativeapproach to the construction of garmentscan be seen in her use of reversedexposed seams and stylistic jewelledsafety pins and tears during the punk era.

Zandra designed for the late Diana,Princess of Wales, and continues to designfor royalty and the rich and famousaround the world. She has a loyal cultfollowing in the USA.

Now there is another door opening forher, a seven meter pink doorway to beprecise. This is the entrance to TheFashion and Textile Museum and ZandraRhodes Foundation, which will be openedby Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II later inthe year. The enormous pink and orangebuilding finds the Fashion and TextileMuseum a magnet for the fashion world.It’s soaring space, exhibition plans, livelyeducational and community programmes,unique and pro-active attitude to the artand craft of clothing, have alreadybrought a multitude of callers to its door.“Our dream of showing 20th and 21stcentury fashion and textile design, is onethat many share. All efforts are nowconcentrated on readying the museum for its formal opening and focussing onfunding and sponsorship”, said Rhodes.

The Fashion and Textile Museum andZandra Rhodes Foundation building wasdesigned by Mexico’s greatest modernarchitect Ricardo Legorreta. Renownthrough the America’s for his moderninterpretation of indigenous Mexicanbuildings, the introduction of thisconfronting edifice in South Bankstrangely works. Set amongst theEdwardian and Victorian buildings of the19th century, the building captures thevery essence of Zandra Rhodes. The hugefacade is burnt orange with accents ofplum and, of course, Rhodes' signaturefuchsia. The entrance boasts a jewellerybox of a mosaic - a starburst of glass,marble and semi-precious stones byterrazzo artist David Humphries. The wallsare brightest lapis. Further inside, walls of densely glowing shades - from marigoldto flame, punctuate a predominantly whitestone interior.

Zandra’s partner Salah Hassanein, formerWarner Bros International President,commissioned David Humphries to helpZandra realise her vision for theMuseum's entrance hall. He saw the long-term ongoing artistic report between thetwo artists and realised the unique outputa collaboration of this nature produces.Zandra, aware of the vast and preciouspieces available at David's Sydney studio,visited him in Sydney especially to reviewthe concepts, select materials anddecorative elements and to further theircollaboration. The stained glass used isvery rare and originally produced inFrance over 50 years ago and is no longermade. Over the last five years Salah hasseen David and Zandra work together to create and further extend the awardwinning terrace at their Del Mar beachhouse. It seems there is a formular herethat simply works.

With a career which spans a period ofmore than 40 years Zandra hasdemonstrated a work ethic that can bestbe described as ferocious. “All efforts arenow concentrated on readying themuseum for its formal opening andfocused on funding and sponsorship,” saidRhodes. When the big pink doors areformally opened the world will be dazzledby the legacy that is quintessentiallyZandra Rhodes.

Zandra’s mission statement reads: To be the first in the United Kingdomdedicated to contemporary fashion andtextiles, exhibiting, promoting andrecording the works of outstandingdesigners from the 1950s to the present day.

To stimulate, encourage and inspire thestudy of fashion and textile design themuseum will provide education andtraining at all levels together withworkshops and textile print facilities. The Museum is committed to equalopportunity in providing learning to allsectors and to all countries.

To showcase costume and textilecollections of all leading and upcomingdesigners including varied exhibitionsdevoted to fashion, textile print andrelated work.

To provide educational resources and tomotivate the study of modern fashion andtextiles of artistic, cultural and historicsignificance and to further theunderstanding of human beings withintheir social environment.

To be a landmark in the fast and changingarea of Bermondsey contributing to theregeneration of London’s South Bank.”

Not only is the area of South Bankundergoing a renaissance, so is Zandra. I guess it’s about ‘giving something back’.

If you would like to support the Fashion and TextileMuseum, call Michelle Santoro on 0011 44 20 7403 0222

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