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Exhibition Dates: 3 July – 4 October 2020 | Book Now

“We were young, rich and beautiful, and the tide – we thought – was turning in our favour. We were going to change everything, of course, but mostly we were going to change the rules”. – Marianne Faithfull.

In the mid-1960s a handful of Chelsea boutiques sparked a fashion revolution. Freed and fuelled by creative exploration and experimentation, they began selling radical clothing to the counterculture youth. Their outrageously flamboyant designs were inspired by romantic ideas of the past; Byron-esque frilled shirts were paired with Regency brocades and plush velvet trousers were mixed with influences from Morocco and the Far East. They blurred gender boundaries with increasingly androgynous styles, creating an explosion of colour, pattern and decoration.

Beautiful People explores fabulous and rare examples from these era-defining stores and designers, examining the shared free spirit of Granny Takes A Trip, Hung On You, Apple, Biba, Mr Fish, Thea Porter, Ossie Clark and more. Clothes worn by the likes of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix will be displayed as part of recreations of these iconic boutiques.

Exhibition Dates: 3 July – 4 October 2020
Open Tuesdays to Saturdays, 11am – 6pm
Thursdays until 8pm
Sundays, 11am – 5pm
Last admission 45 minutes before closing
Closed Mondays

Please note: The Museum does not have a permanent display, and instead offers one focused temporary exhibition every three months within a year which allows the Museum to display a rich variety of contemporary fashion and textile items. Suggested visit time 45 minutes to an hour. Some spaces may be closed on occasion for workshops, events and courses. Please contact the Museum before you visit for more information.

Tickets | Book Now
Advance booking online is recommended but tickets may be purchased in person on the day of the visit, subject to availability.
£9.90 adults*
£8.80 concessions*
£7 students
Children under 12 are free.
*Includes 10% gift aid

Group Bookings
Please fill in the Group Bookings Form or contact the Museum with your requirements.

Image: The Fool designs inside The Beatles Apple Boutique 1967. Copyright Karl Ferris.