Naomi Campbell’s Impression on Trend, From the Designers Who Dressed Her

Jean Paul Gaultier as soon as stated, “garments are nothing with out somebody inside who is aware of methods to transfer.” For the audacious French designer, Naomi Campbell embodied that “somebody”: an assertive, strut-serving trend icon who catapulted these garments into modern tradition—a super-mannequin worthy of the phrase’s prodigious prefix.

During the last 4 many years of her pioneering profession, Campbell has been inside many garments. She’s sported high fashion and ready-to-wear runway ensembles for everybody from Anna Sui to Azzedine Alaïa, and constructed a wardrobe as versatile—and unstable—as she is. In it hangs the Hazmat go well with and Burberry cape combo that noticed her memed to oblivion throughout COVID, and the Dolce & Gabbana look she donned for her final day of neighborhood service (issued after throwing a cellphone at her housekeeper’s face.)

And now, her infamous and Web-immortalized wardrobe is on public show, as a part of a London present celebrating Campbell’s 40 years on the forefront of trend. Produced in collaboration with Campbell herself, NAOMI: In Trend marks the V&A’s first exhibition devoted to a mannequin—an honor that underscores her profound affect not solely on trend, however on tradition at massive.

The exhibition chronicles Campbell’s journey from a vivacious South London child (starring in Bob Marley’s music video aged seven) to her trailblazing trend ascent after being street-scouted at 15 (her first Vogue cowl would come lower than two years later, earlier than changing into the primary Black mannequin to cowl French Vogue, and TIME journal).

Regardless of its title, the exhibition is extra than simply an homage to “Naomi in trend.” It traverses all the pieces from her profound bond with Nelson Mandela, who affectionately referred to her as his “honorary granddaughter,” to her ongoing anti-racist activism.

Above all, although, NAOMI is a playful tribute to the highly effective presence and character that cemented Capmbell’s iconic standing within the court docket of public opinion—lionized for the exact same unapologetic angle for which she’s usually criticized. Campbell is famously, fashionably, late (McQueen as soon as cancelled her from a present, and informed her to “fuck off” for her tardiness), and refreshingly frank (her response to being summoned to the witness stand in a blood diamond trial has grow to be near-universally quotable lore: “This can be a huge inconvenience for me… I didn’t actually wish to be right here. I used to be made to be right here.”)

However whereas probably the most pivotal relationship Campbell has managed to domesticate is perhaps with most of the people, her enduring collaborations with the trade’s most influential innovators have most fortified her affect. Right here, the V&A’s senior trend curator, Sonnet Stanfill, runs by way of the legacy and life classes of a few of Campbell’s most formidable trend seems and friendships.

Azzedine Alaïa

“Naomi Campbell and the late Tunis-born, Paris-based designer Azzedine Alaïa shared a detailed private {and professional} relationship. To her, Alaïa was ‘Papa’, whereas he termed Campbell ‘ma fille’. They met throughout Campbell’s first summer season working in Paris, after her traveler’s checks had been stolen. Alaïa opened up his residence and studio to the younger mannequin, the place she would at all times be welcome.

Campbell’s physique, to him ‘an ideal physique’, impressed a lot of the designer’s work. This catsuit is an instance of basic Alaïa—stylish, close-fitting, and showcasing a black-on-black leopard-pattern textile. When Campbell wore it, she exuded pure pleasure on the runway, executing an ideal kick-turn as a part of the efficiency. The stroll, enjoyable and chic, was typical of how Campbell approached Alaïa’s legendary reveals. This look comes from Campbell’s personal assortment and so it’s notably particular to her.”

Yves Saint Laurent

“Once we interviewed Campbell about working with Saint Laurent, she talked about the established fashions—a lot of them ladies of coloration—who had been useful and welcoming and confirmed her methods to strategy a runway stroll for the designer. ‘I used to be fortunate,’ she stated. ‘After I requested for recommendation like “How do I take off a cape?” they’d present me.’ Yves Saint Laurent epitomized French high fashion and was additionally recognized for commonly casting Black fashions. Campbell first walked for Saint Laurent in his autumn/winter 1987 presentation and wore this gown together with others. Created from bird-of-paradise feathers, its ethereal high quality on the catwalk was breathtaking. What folks might not keep in mind is that Campbell wore this gown twice, first in 1987, in her first Saint Laurent catwalk present. Then she wore it as soon as extra for a 2002 present which coincided with Yves Saint Laurent’s retirement. Campbell recalled, ‘God bless Yves, as a result of he was a designer… who actually helped ladies of coloration and he modified the course of my profession.’”

Steven Meisel

“After I have a look at Meisel’s images of Campbell, there’s a synergy that has been, doubtless, a key issue within the rise and lasting affect of the unique supermodels. He chronicled them like no different photographer. Campbell and Meisel labored collectively from the late Nineteen Eighties. I feel it’s becoming to convey their collaboration in Campbell’s personal phrases: ‘Steven was the perfect trainer once you had been beginning out. He taught you methods to transfer completely and methods to use your expression to return from inside, from the within out.’”

Chanel

“Maybe crucial early reference to the home of Chanel was Campbell modeling a Chanel couture look on the duvet of British Vogue’s December 1987 problem. The shoot, which passed off within the early hours on a seaside in The Hamptons, was a canopy strive, that means it wasn’t positive that it could be a canopy. It might grow to be her first Vogue cowl and the primary time a Black British mannequin was solid for a British Vogue cowl. That picture of a seventeen yr previous Campbell—laughing along with her head thrown again—is totally youthful and joyous. It’s a magical {photograph} and would have introduced the viewer with a younger, fashionable picture of French high fashion.”

“The lavender Chanel go well with is from Naomi Campbell’s personal assortment, and it’s quintessential Lagerfeld for the home. Purple was her favourite coloration, and Lagerfeld would usually give her the designs on this shade to mannequin.”

Alexander McQueen

“One of many key issues Campbell expressed to us about Lee McQueen was admiration for his innate expertise and specific imaginative and prescient. She stated: ‘After I did my first becoming for [McQueen at Givenchy], I understood instantly that this man was… a perfectionist. After I’m round somebody like that, I wish to be taught from them.’ She additionally recalled how a lot the Givenchy workroom workers admired McQueen who, in flip, handled them with huge respect. ‘I understood that they discovered a complete new manner of working after they labored with him.’ She additionally talked very descriptively in regards to the expertise of strolling for McQueen. She stated, ‘When McQueen spoke to you in regards to the present, he defined… a narrative of the way you needed to be and what you needed to suppose in your thoughts and the way you needed to let that psyche infiltrate into your stroll.’”

Mugler

“This can be a corset common to appear like the hood of a automotive, full with grille and indicator lights! It’s created from plastic and steel, and was created by Mugler in collaboration with the inventive Jean-Jacques Urcun, who additionally labored with Mugler on different collections. Campbell modeled this look each on the runway and in a trend editorial. One fascinating perspective about Mugler that Campbell shared was that his strategy to casting helped to create the supermodel. She credit Mugler with establishing a tiered cost system for the highest fashions. In keeping with Campbell, ‘It might be, “OK, you get a round-trip Harmony ticket, with this amount of cash, that’s the bundle deal” which he supplied to a choose few.’”

Versace

“Once we interviewed Campbell in regards to the Marilyn Monroe-print gown from Gianni Versace’s spring/summer season 1991 assortment, she stated, ‘Usually after the present, Gianni did a dinner and we at all times remained within the final outfit we walked in. I wore this gown to dinner.’ It’s great to think about the designer taking his fashions out in town after the present, all of them resplendent within the closing look they wore on the catwalk.”

NAOMI: In Trend is on show at London’s V&A Museum till April 2025.