Zandra Rhodes: Fifty Years of Fabulous, Fashion & Textile Museum

British design royalty Dame Zandra Rhodes' inimitable collections have sealed her place in fashion history. At eighty, she dons hot pink hair, statement jewellery, stage makeup and ever-colourful attire, all whilst continuing to show lauded collections at fashion week.

Born in Kent, Rhodes's creative prowess was apparent from an early age. She studied textile design at the Royal College of Art alongside future art-giants David Hockney and Derek Boshier. From her studies, she gained an interdisciplinary approach that has seen her blur the perimeters of textile design, painting, performance and fashion design.



Further highlights include avant-garde designs for the English National Opera’s production of ‘Aida’, as well as designs worn by Diana, Princess of Wales, Freddie Mercury, Elizabeth Taylor, Debbie Harry, Kate Moss and HRH Princess Michael of Kent.

And while the glorious curation of archive collections shines bright on the first floor, head upstairs for a different kind of treat. First up, a dream-like maze of hanging, printed silk-screened textiles. Then, a raucous display of the costumes Rhodes designed for the San Diego Opera - The Magic Flute, The Pearl Fishers and Aida.




But the real gems of the exhibition lie in the final room, where Rhodes's sketchbooks create a stunning, animated visual language. Think spirited illustrations of lilies and succulents, or fashion illustrations interrupted by Rhodes's scrawled thoughts. They anchor her free-spirited, bohemian creations to a concept, and create a dialogue between source material and printed textile.

If you're in Bermondsey, be sure to visit this kaleidoscopic homage to one of British fashion's golden girls.