Cuts, Curls & Crimpers

Launching on September 2009, London College of Fashion invites you to take a journey through a series of special events which examine the cultural significance of hair. Through public talks, debates, ‘in conversations’, exhibitions and hair ‘confessionals’ on the streets of London in which people will be able to record their hair-related experiences, we intend to celebrate the importance of London’s contribution since the 1960s to changing the way we look today.

Lady Godiva needed hers to shield her modesty, Samson’s strength depended on his, Erin O’Connor has hers black like a raven’s wing and Cate Blanchet as red as the glow of sunset. From ancient legends to the silver screen - from afros and cornrows to dreadlocks and extensions - from catwalk to red carpet, hair holds an endless fascination for us. We enter and often leave the world with little but it nevertheless forms an essential part of our everyday lives. Intensely personal and often problematic, the ways in which we deal with hair have changed and evolved as fashions and our ideas of beauty shift.

London College of Fashion will stage two concurrent exhibitions during the month of September to launch this year of activity, running from 8 - 23 September 2009:

Fashion Space Gallery, London College of Fashion, 20 John Princes Street, London W1G 0BJ (nearest tube: Oxford Circus)
Ethnicity, heritage and global lifestyles have helped change British hair and hairstyles. An exhibition focuses on black hair and how tradition and fashion have influenced hairdressing.

London College of Fashion at Carnaby
65 - 67 Broadwick Street, London W1F 9QY (nearest tube: Oxford Circus / Picadilly)
The desire to create the perfect image of hair has resulted in some iconic photographic images from flicks and fringes to bobs and beehives, which wil be shown in this pop-up exhibition space just off Carnaby Street.

London College of Fashion is one of six constituent colleges that make up University of the Arts London.