Moses, Mods and Mr Fish: The Menswear Revolution Exhibition at The Jewish Museum

Sarah Gilfillan reports on an important menswear exhibition, just opened at The Jewish Museum, North London: 

Well worth a visit is the newly opened menswear exhibition Moses, Mods and Mr Fish: The Menswear Revolution running from 31st March to 19th June 2016 at The Jewish Museum. The exhibition charts the 150 year journey of menswear from the start of the ready to wear industry in the 1850s through to the swinging '60s when menswear had completely changed and young men no longer wished to be dressed like their fathers. 

Montague Burton advertisement

When I visited recently, I was fascinated to learn that it was the Jewish tailors who pioneered the ready to wear industry in the UK, making new clothing and dressing well more accessible to a greater number of men and thus changing the menswear scene dramatically.

Brands you might know as high street giants like Burton founded by Montague Burton, Moss Bros started by Moses Moss and Cecil Gee were instrumental during the war - firstly providing uniforms to the British military and then kitting them out after the war with demob suits. You may also be interested to learn where some people believe the term "the full monty" came from. 

Early Burtons store

See how continued clothes rationing affected the design of clothing, and how after the war the way men dressed became more relaxed, and they took their inspiration from abroad and their musical heroes instead of their fathers. Styles inspired by the very fitted suits being worn by the Italians, ushered in the Mod look and the emergence of the many menswear boutiques springing up in Carnaby Street and Kings Road like Mr Fish, Ben Sherman and I Was Lord Kitchener's Valet meant that clothing styles worn by the likes of David Bowie, The Beatles and Mick Jagger were readily available to everyone.

Nehru-style jacket from Lord John - late sixties

See the other events being run alongside the exhibition here and tickets for the exhibition available here.

GF: My thanks to Sarah Gilfillan for this report. Sarah modestly doesn't mention that she is participating as a speaker in a Fashion Insiders Panel Discussion as part of the exhibition on 7th June at 19.00 to 20.30.

To tap into Sarah's wide experience as a personal stylist, visit her website at SartoriaLab.