Fashion Flora presents an explorative look at the use of flowers as a motif in fashion throughout the decades, as seen by a selection of SHOWstudio's network of contemporary fashion illustrators. Depicted garments have been hand-selected by Flora Starkey, one of the most exciting floral designers working today, and date back as far the 1880s.
The illustrations, which range in style and medium, showcase an array of bulbs or blooms and play tribute to the many designers who have consistently reworked and reconsidered the flower. Pieces by Alexander McQueen, Dries Van Noten and John Galliano, alongside many others, are celebrated. Like these designers, Nick Knight is known for his love of flowers, notably roses, as shown in Knight's hand-applied pigment print 'Rose IX' (2012) on display here. Films from SHOWstudio’s 17-year archive are also exhibited, showcasing a continuation of this mutual interest. Alongside these digital and painterly blooms, real British flowers and plants feature, as arranged by Starkey.