Lunchtime Lecture: House of Beauty and Culture

1980s collective The House of Beauty and Culture pre-empted key traits we see around us now in creative London: experimenting with found materials, queering gender norms, and exploring club culture. The group united hand-made jewellery and ad hoc accessories with radical furniture, fashion, photography, and design - all in a small shop and studio off the Kingsland Road, 30 years before Dalston became the fashionable hub of today.

Founded by shoe designer John Moore, members included Judy Blame, Christopher Nemeth, Cindy Palmano, Dave Baby, Richard Torry, Mark Lebon, Alan Macdonald, Scarlett and other friends. They used the personal act of making to convey progressive perspectives through non-conformist aesthetics. The House of Beauty and Culture’s deconstructionist methods, provocative whimsy, expressive bravery, and passion for the street, inspired influential designers such as Martin Margiela and Kim Jones, now artistic director of menswear at Dior. Join arts writer Kasia Maciejowska to hear about their avant-garde approach accompanied by rare archival imagery.

Visit our SoundCloud channel to listen to past Lunchtime Lectures: soundcloud.com/vamuseum/sets/v-a-lunchtime-lecture-series