Naomi. An icon so powerful that only a first name is needed to recognize her. She was the first black model on the cover of British Vogue and Time Magazine, one of the original 90s supermodels, and a Versace muse. And now, she’s a landmark as well. Opening on 22 June 2024, The V&A Museum will dedicate its next fashion exhibition to the 40-year career of Naomi Campbell, from being scouted at 15 years old in Covent Garden to becoming a cultural figure.
This is the first time a supermodel will be the subject of a V&A retrospective, but that title seems to fall short – historical icon fits Campbell better. She’s expanded from fashion to philanthropy, film production, activism, and art direction, which are all set to be included. We’ll see a different side of picture-perfect Naomi, one that joined the Black Girls Coalition in 1989, campaigns for more diversity on the catwalk, and was heavily inspired by Nelson Mandela.
Retrospective is just as small a label as Supermodel; the mononymous icon still makes headlines with her style, is a runway regular, and just designed a collection for Pretty Little Thing.
With ‘Naomi’, 100 carefully curated looks and a photography installation will take us on a journey through her closet— and fashion history. The garments featured are from Campbell’s personal collection and archive pieces loaned by designers. The exhibition will see an unprecedented close involvement from the subject herself, who said she’s “honoured to be asked by the V&A to share my life in clothes with the world”.
Curator Sonnet Stanfill has said that this overwhelmingly extensive collection is not the main challenge, but rather that they could be adding looks right “up until the day before the exhibition”. But even some stars shine brighter than others, and the looks below? They’re sure to be included. after all, they’re as close to the sun as fashion moments get.
1993
This lilac Chanel suit she wore on the October 1993 runway is one of the only looks confirmed by the V&A. The exhibition will follow the current retrospective dedicated to Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, so this proves to be a seamless transition.
2019
Her 2019 Met Gala dress by Valentino is the second confirmed look, which makes sense given that it’s the same year Campbell won the Fashion Icon of the Year Award.
1991
The exhibition will give us an insider look at her life, as told from Naomi’s voice. With this deeply personal nature, we expect to see plenty of Azzedine Alaïa, whom she called Papa and had a father-daughter relationship with. This mesh leopard catsuit with ruffle cuffs from Autumn/Winter 1991 was one of her most iconic runway moments; signature smirk included.
1991
A Versace look from the Versace muse will undoubtedly make an appearance. Not only was designer Gianni Versace a dear friend of Naomi but also the creator of the supermodel status. In this spring/summer 1991 dress, she delivered the soon-to-be signature strut that made her one of the 90s original supermodels alongside the likes of Claudia Schiffer and Cindy Crawford. The Big Five remain just as historically significant as they were in their heyday too: Apple TV+ just released a documentary about them, Vogue reunited the girl group for this year’s September issue, and they closed the Vogue World London event hand-in-hand.
1999
One of the most iconic duos of the 90s, Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell’s friendship reigned the decade while becoming the faces of a generation. They loved partying, champagne, and shimmering Versace dresses (‘wagons’ are their self-assigned nicknames for each other because it means drunk in Irish), so this look from the brand’s Diamonds are Forever event will hopefully be included. The mini dress shows off Campbell’s fashion prowess, with her wearing the sparkly butterflies before it became a Y2K trend.
1993
The supermodel’s fall in 12-inch platforms during the Vivienne Westwood 1993 show is one of the most defining moments of her career. Naomi’s self-deprecating smile post-stumble grazed the cover of magazines for weeks after, and the flounce of the boa right after was what enamored the world with her. The supermodel has confessed that some designers even ask her to recreate the fall. In an interview with Westwood, she said: “A couple of people, designers, asked me if I would fall for them. And I was like, ‘Why would you want me to fall unnecessarily?!’ ‘Press! The press that you got!’ But it wasn’t planned!”.
1997
Attending the 1997 MTV Music Video Awards, Naomi wore ’The Paris Hilton Dress’ years before the hotel heiress ever did. This sparkly mini dress belongs to her personal Versace collection, a keepsake that for her represents a fond memory, but for the world? It’s fashion history. Alongside this getup, curator Stanfill has confirmed we should expect a myriad of dresses, including designs from Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Jean Paul Gaultier, John Galliano, Karl Lagerfeld, and Virgil Abloh.
1998
In head-to-toe Louis Vuitton, this look shows the more casual style of Naomi (barring the private jet in the background) as she arrived in Paris for the season. From the sunglasses to the massive logomania bags, this look oozes 90s.
1995
Another one of the most significant moments from her runway career, Naomi showcased her feral energy for Thierry Mugler’s autumn/winter 1995 show. This wasn’t just a walk through an elevated platform, it was a performance that showed the difference between model and supermodel.
2023
In her most recent runway moment (for now), Campbell closed Sarah Burton’s last show for Alexander McQueen during the Spring Summer 2024 season in Paris. A longtime collaborator of the brand and dear friend of Burton, this proved to be an emotional moment for not only her but the fashion industry as a whole.
Words By Alexia De Las Heras
