Spotlight on Fashion - Meet the Artists

Spotlight on Fashion is an innovative and ambitious project at Dulwich Picture Gallery with young people from Spotlight, a creative youth space in Tower Hamlets, which explores the permanent collection through fashion and identity. For six months nine young people worked with Costume Designer Lesley Ford to design and create their own garments. By drawing inspiration from the painted portraits at the Gallery the group provided a new perspective for our Curators with which to view our collection of Old Masters. The young people visited Dulwich Picture Gallery, the fashion archives at the Victoria and Albert Museum and met students in their studios at the London College of Fashion. They looked at different fabric, pattern, texture and various design techniques to develop their initial ideas and designs into unique garments and accessories. The project culminated in a spectacular Fashion Show at Spotlight, where the young people modelled their garments on the catwalk to friends, family, the local community and press. They also took part in a two-day fashion shoot at the Gallery, amongst the paintings that inspired them. The young designers worked with professional photographer Sal Idriss to set up and take the shots, arrange the lighting and choreograph the poses for their portraits. The images seen in this online exhibition are on public display at Dulwich Picture Gallery in our Linbury room until 27th May. 

'I took my inspiration from Elizabeth Linley by Thomas Gainsborough and the way she was looking away into the distance. I had a chat with Helen, Dulwich Picture Gallery's assistant Curator, and explored the painting in detail, like why is she looking back into the distance, and why do they blend into the background?'

'I like fashion, sketching patterns and enjoy sewing occasionally. I also like history a lot so I thought this was the project for me. My garment is particularly inspired by the patterns I saw in the paintings, the sleeves and the ruff. 

I like fashion. I loved seeing the project unfold and getting something out of it at the end. We got the feeling of actual fashion and working with a make-up artist. As well as looking at Thomas Hudson's 'Portrait of a Lady' I was inspired by my interests of Gothic fashion and Lolita. 

'I loved this project. I love long dresses and might wear my garment for my prom. I took inspiration from the criss-cross design seen in 'Portrait of a Lady' and the tattoo prints show that I'm a bit of an anime fan. I'd love to study Fashion Design at College.' 

'I took inspiration from the cape in 'Portrait of a Baron' and the ruffles. I learnt that I can sew and make my own designs and that I can do anything I want if I believe in myself. I feel more responsible and like a grown up.' 

Su looked at the portrait of Young Mr Cartwright, picking out his strikingly large collar and decided to replicate this in her own design. The dynamic shape compliments and stands out against the gorgeous royal blue fabric used for the skirt. Su's design shows the more traditional aspects of fashion, but evidently added her own modern twist. 

You can clearly see that in Reka's design she has looked at the soft pastel colours in this portrait of Mrs Moody and incorporated them into her own garments. Reka has used a raw silk material to recreate the long flowing skirt of Mrs Moody, teamed with a pair of chunky black ankle boots to add a modern twist. 

Dulwich Picture Gallery: Lesley Ford, Jessie Woodward, Sarah Fairbairn, Louise Conaghan, Vicky Rodriguez, Kate Turner, Ghislaine Beauce, Rebeka Pledger, Meghan Townsend, Sal Idriss. Spotlight: Abigail Kenyon, Emma Chapman, Rosanne Cooper, Jennifer GroB.