An intriguing exhibition at the Fashion and Textile Museum in Bermondsey provides a snapshot of the role of the visual arts in time of conflict. When national survival is at stake everything must make a contribution to the war effort. Collective values come into play as even the most socially exclusive artists and designers strive to make a difference - nobody wants to be accused of lacking in patriotism. There’s a change of tone from hauteur to something more demotic - extravagance is no longer acceptable while raising public morale is a new priority. Working under this new set of constraints the fashion industry falls back upon formal simplicity, classic elegance and a colour palette that’s light, bright and uplifting. Textile designers responded with fabric prints devised around patriotic messages and texts displayed in jaunty settings. Other nations were involved including a strong collection of kimono prints from Japan - more bellicose in their imagery but more refined in their visual language.
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