BeautyRival – The Barbican is turning to fashion’s raw and unconventional side with its new exhibition, “Dirty Looks.” The showcase runs from Sept. 25 to Jan. 25 and highlights how Barbican dirt, decay, and imperfection inspire creativity.
The exhibition features the work of more than 60 designers, including Vivienne Westwood, John Galliano, Hussein Chalayan, Comme des Garçons, and Rick Owens. Each of them explores how beauty and imperfection can coexist.
According to curator Karen Van Godtsenhoven, the goal is to connect fashion with today’s urgent topics. “We wanted to explore themes like sustainability and regeneration, and how designers have approached these issues creatively,” she explained. “It’s about how a longing for simpler, earthier times is reflected in fashion.”
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The idea came from young designers using nontraditional and organic materials such as deadstock fabrics, natural dyes, and biodegradable textiles. One recurring symbol is mud, which has reappeared on runways worldwide.
For instance, Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren’s 1982 “Buffalo” collection and Hussein Chalayan’s 1993 “The Tangent Flows” are key references. Chalayan famously buried his garments for six weeks before presenting them, adding decay as a design element.
The exhibition also highlights how discarded objects can be reborn as luxury. “It’s incredible how many designers have turned trash into treasure,” said Van Godtsenhoven. Some used spoons and forks to decorate couture gowns. Others buried garments in soil or made dresses from waste.
More recently, Demna’s Balenciaga summer 2023 show featured models stomping through mud, turning mess into spectacle.
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The “dirty” aesthetic goes beyond shock value. It also reflects the push toward circularity and sustainability in fashion. Today, designers use tree bark, elm branches, or recycled waste to create innovative pieces that connect fashion with ecology.
Alongside Westwood and Chalayan, the exhibition includes Helmut Lang, Marine Serre, and Paco Rabanne. Their work proves that nearly every great designer has embraced dirt, decay, or imperfection in some form.
Ultimately, “Dirty Looks” presents fashion as more than style. It becomes a conversation with the earth, showing how imperfection can lead to groundbreaking design.
