With discourse kicking up around the appointment of another identikit white man at a fashion megabrand a little over a fortnight ago, conversation has recently turned to whether fashion really is changing in the ways it promised to across the summer of 2020, and where, exactly, are all the Black and POC creative directors? It’s for that reason Somerset House’s new exhibition The Missing Thread feels more pertinent and timely than ever: though the industry’s behemoth conglomerates may continue to overlook Black people for their top jobs, the talent within this pool, and its influence on fashion, is not to be underestimated. 

Curated by Harris Elliot, Andrew Ibi, and Jason Jules of BOLD Agency, The Missing Thread takes visitors on a vivid journey through fashion in the UK from the perspective of the Black people who pioneered it. Starting from the 1970s and landing right here, in the present day, the show traces the big success stories most of us with even just a passing interest in fashion will know  – like Naomi Campbell’s ascent to global supermodel – as well as the lesser-known, but no-less-important loose threads it’s likely even the diehards won’t be familiar with.somerset house

Exploring the cultural, counter-cultural, political, and socioeconomic forces that have moulded Black style in Britain throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, those under the spotlight include OG designers like Ozwald Boateng and Walé Adeyemi – both classmates of John Galliano at CSM and seen within the show in a sweet graduation photo – and a new generation of talent, including Bianca Saunders, Grace Wales Bonner, Nicholas Daley, and Saul Nash. Plus for the first time ever, there’s a chance to get up-close to legendary creative Joe Casely-Hayford, whose archive sits at the heart of The Missing Thread.  

The Missing Thread is now open until January 7, 2024, and if you’re not already convinced you should visit, here are four more reasons why it’s a must-see.

THERE’S SO MUCH TO SEE

Unsurprisingly, there’s loads to take in, with images lining just about every wall and taking visitors through poignant moments in history. Whether it’s Naomi Campbell’s first model Polaroids, taken in 1986 when she was just 14 years old, or Nelson and Winnie Mandela snapped celebrating his long-awaited release from prison in 1990, the selection has been curated into a rich cultural timeline which offers an understanding of Black Britishness, which in turn influenced – and continues to influence – the designers of the time. 

Among the line-up is a particularly striking image. Standing out from the rest is a black and white photograph of ten newly-graduated fashion designers from Central Saint Martins, including Joe Casely-Hayford next to John Galliano – both visionaries, one Black, one white. Seen side by side, you can’t help but notice the disparity of industry recognition between these two peers – making the threading together of these missing stories within The Missing Thread all the more pertinent.

MUSIC PLAYS A HUGE PART 

“In this world nightlife is not just about a time: it’s a place and a mindset, a space that is beyond the gaze of the mainstream and, as such, not dependent on its approval or disapproval,” says co-curator Jason Jules of the role music plays in culture. 

With the seeds for countless brands colliding and taking root on dancefloors across Britain – from Northern Soul nights, to huge jungle raves, and beyond – music, and the clubs that invited communities to form within them – The Missing Thread celebrates the role of music, its universal language, and the ways in which it connects people from West Africa to the Caribbean and beyond. 

Pick up a pair of headphones and step into Kelis’s “Milkshake” video or Bey’s “Crazy in Love” while unpacking their unique impact on style in the early 00s, or move through legendary photographer Jennie Baptiste’s photographs of Britain’s coolest kids, snapped from the 90s up to now. 

GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH JOE CASELY-HAYFORD’S ARCHIVE

As visitors come to the end of the exhibition, they’ll enter one of the most impressive rooms – a touching tribute to prominent Black designer Joe Casely-Hayford featuring 30 designs from his archive. As well as his signature, super precise tailoring, which stands draped over a series of mannequins, there’s an opportunity to see the paraphernalia that went with the garments – from original show invites to a chair upholstered by Casely-Hayford using offcut leather scooped up from his studio floor. Curated by those who knew him best – his wife Maria Casely-Hayford, with whom he founded his brand in the 1980s, and his children Alice and Charlie – it’s a rare opportunity to see his work in the flesh.

WHAT COMES NEXT...

After the show explores the historic impact and importance of Black British designers on fashion, it leads us into the present day and takes a look at what the future will look like in the hands of a new generation of talent. This means a series of specially commissioned works by Saul Nash, Bianca Saunders, and Nicholas Daley, with Saunders using silkscreen-printed garments to celebrate the first Black British textile designer Althea McNish. Meanwhile, Daley takes over a small nook within the space and invites visitors to make themselves comfy on time-worn chairs and his colourful knit bean bags while listening to a playlist that references Joe Casely-Hayford’s links with music through the decades – a beautiful testament to how the past continues to inspire the future, from generation to generation. 

Grab a ticket and see the show for yourself here.