her own perfume and becoming a champion of diversity. Highlights from this section include an Andy Warhol-print dress from Gianni Versace’s Spring/Summer 1991 show and a dramatic 1989 Thierry Mugler car-inspired corset made from plastic, metal and acrylic. Campbell unwittingly created fashion history in 1993 when, smiling, she fell to the runway floor while wearing Westwood’s staggeringly high blue platforms. The original pair, with the model’s name written inside, were quickly acquired by the V&A. The full ensemble is reunited here for the first time since this mishap, a fashion moment which elevated Campbell’s profile, and the designer’s, to even greater heights.
The next section focuses on Campbell’s intense personal and professional relationship with late Tunis-born, Paris-based designer Azzedine Alaïa – who she would call ‘Papa’. Alaïa opened up his residence and studio to the young model, who, with her mother’s permission, lived for a time with the designer, his partner and their dogs. Alaïa is famed for his figure-hugging designs and Campbell’s sculptural physique, to him ‘a perfect body’, inspired much of this work. In turn, Alaïa offered valuable experience and introductions to industry professionals. Together, the pair created runway magic and editorial gold. A leopard-print knitwear bodysuit from Alaïa’s Autumn/Winter 1991 ready-to-wear collection will feature, famously captured in a photograph by Herb Ritts in 1991 for Interview magazine.
Aged 17 Campbell moved to New York and threw herself into the city’s buzzing, social, fashion scene. She forged enduring friendships with designers and others in the industry. Key looks include an ensemble from Marc Jacobs’ Grunge Redux collection and an ensemble designed byAnna Sui, a longtime friend of Campbell’s.
Since the early 1990s Campbell has been one of the most high profile models in the world – and one of the most recognisable Black women. She is on our televisions and phones, in music videos and newspapers. The Spotlight will explore a highly publicized biographical moment, when Campbell served a period of court ordered community service. On display in this section is the Dolce & Gabbana gown that Campbell wore on her final day of community service – a look she wore in response to the paparazzi capturing her arrival and departure every day throughout.
The next section will look at Naomi Campbell as an Exemplar in the field, and her early collaborations with many fashion houses, from Dolce & Gabbana and Vivienne Westwood to Jean Paul Gautier. Formed when Campbell was a young woman, these connections evolved into decades-long collaborative friendships. Designers have long valued Campbell’s ability to model, with apparent ease, the most difficult ensembles, and to glamorise whatever she wears, from a Fendi coat with beaded sleeves, to a bejeweled Dolce & Gabbana bodysuit.
World-renowned photographers – from Steven Meisel and Arthur Elgort to Patrick Demarchelier and David Bailey – reference Campbell’s unique Alchemy with the camera. Campbell equally has a deep respect for those she works with, recognizing their artistic talent and vision, and working to achieve the image they have in mind. The selection of photography that will feature is curated by Edward Enninful OBE. Enninful has said of Campbell: ‘As anyone who has worked with her knows, when Naomi arrives at a shoot, she is there to work.’
With over forty years of experience working with the leading names in fashion, Campbell is an Archetype, whose skill and reputation as an exceptional model is indisputable. Her presence on the catwalk, or in marketing campaigns is guaranteed to attract attention. This section recognises Campbell advocating for friends, career-defining moments and emerging designers with highlights including an ensemble from Virgil Abloh’s final collection during the Off-White show held shortly after his untimely death, a hand-embroidered dress and cape from Rizman Ruzaini embellished with over 35,000 crystals and a custom pink ensemble by Pierpaolo Piccioli
