Model Naomi Campbell Gets Her Own Exhibition at London’s V&A Museum

An assistant looks at dresses on display during a press preview for the "Naomi" exhibition exploring the career of fashion model Naomi Campbell, at the Victoria & Albert (V&A) museum, in London, on June 19, 2024. (AFP)
An assistant looks at dresses on display during a press preview for the "Naomi" exhibition exploring the career of fashion model Naomi Campbell, at the Victoria & Albert (V&A) museum, in London, on June 19, 2024. (AFP)
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Model Naomi Campbell Gets Her Own Exhibition at London’s V&A Museum

An assistant looks at dresses on display during a press preview for the "Naomi" exhibition exploring the career of fashion model Naomi Campbell, at the Victoria & Albert (V&A) museum, in London, on June 19, 2024. (AFP)
An assistant looks at dresses on display during a press preview for the "Naomi" exhibition exploring the career of fashion model Naomi Campbell, at the Victoria & Albert (V&A) museum, in London, on June 19, 2024. (AFP)

Naomi Campbell brings her stylish looks and runway walk to London's V&A this week in a new exhibition that the museum says is the first of its kind dedicated to a model.

"Naomi: In Fashion" looks at the career of one of fashion's most recognizable faces through key looks she has modelled as well as her influence and activism.

The exhibition, which opens to the public on Saturday, features glamorous frocks, towering heels, as well as a display of Campbell's fashion photos and magazine covers, curated by former British Vogue editor Edward Enninful.

"There's been so many exhibitions about fashion designers and fashion photographers but the model is often left out of the story," Sonnet Stanfill, senior curator of fashion at the V&A, told Reuters on Wednesday.

"And Naomi Campbell's remarkable 40-year career is really... proving that she's an exemplar in the field, because not only is she working with the best designers and photographers, magazines in the industry, but also she uses her platform to spotlight the careers of emerging creatives as well."

Campbell, 54, began her career as a teenager and has modelled for fashion heavyweights like Versace, Chanel, Prada, and Dolce & Gabbana, among many others. She has also championed African designers.

She was the first Black model to appear on the covers of French Vogue and Time magazine and was also the first Black model on the cover of American Vogue's key September issue.

Outfits on display include a mix of famous fashion names such as the late Gianni Versace and Azzedine Alaïa as well as African designers including Kenneth Ize and Thebe Magugu.

The sparkling Dolce & Gabbana dress Naomi Campbell wore on her last day of community service at a New York garbage depot - after pleading guilty to reckless assault for throwing a phone at her housekeeper during a dispute over a pair of jeans - as well as the blue platform shoes in which she fell on the catwalk at Vivienne Westwood's Autumn-Winter 1993 show also feature.

The exhibition, which runs until April 6, 2025, includes written and audio commentary from Campbell reminiscing over key moments of her career, as well as a makeshift catwalk for those wanting to imitate her runway walk.



Boohoo Pushes Ahead with Debenhams Rebrand despite Frasers’ Opposition

Debenhams logo is seen on smartphone in front of a displayed Boohoo logo in this illustration taken January 25, 2021. (Reuters)
Debenhams logo is seen on smartphone in front of a displayed Boohoo logo in this illustration taken January 25, 2021. (Reuters)
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Boohoo Pushes Ahead with Debenhams Rebrand despite Frasers’ Opposition

Debenhams logo is seen on smartphone in front of a displayed Boohoo logo in this illustration taken January 25, 2021. (Reuters)
Debenhams logo is seen on smartphone in front of a displayed Boohoo logo in this illustration taken January 25, 2021. (Reuters)

British online fashion retailer Boohoo said on Friday it would rebrand as Debenhams Group even though opposition from top shareholder Frasers meant the name change for its holding company did not get shareholder approval.

At a general meeting, 62.04% of votes cast supported the official name change, falling short of the required 66% of votes, the company said.

"This general meeting was only related to the technical name change of the ultimate holding company," the company told Reuters in an email.

"While this will now remain the same, the company is absolutely moving forward as Debenhams Group."

Boohoo had announced its rebranding earlier this month.

Frasers, which owns just over 29% of Boohoo shares based on LSEG data, voted against the resolution.

Frasers, majority-owned by British retail tycoon Mike Ashley, in January unsuccessfully tried to oust Boohoo's co-founder from the board, and the companies have been involved in a long-running corporate tussle.

Boohoo, boosted by an online shopping surge during the coronavirus pandemic, has been facing supply chain issues, weak demand and stiff competition from e-commerce firms such as Shein and Temu.

The company has said it sees the Debenhams brand having the potential to achieve multi-billion pound gross merchandise value in the medium term.

In March, Boohoo appointed Phil Ellis, Debenhams' finance director, as its CFO, following the appointment of Dan Finley as the group's CEO late last year.