![Zandra Rhodes, regina del fashion. A Londra](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Zandra-Rhodes-and-models-at-Port-Eliot-Festival-Cornwall-29-July-2017.-Photo-Louise-Roberts-1024x683.jpeg)
Il Fashion and Textile Museum di Londra dedica un’ampia mostra alla sua fondatrice, l’iconica designer britannica Zandra Rhodes (Chatham, UK, 1940). Curata da Dennis Nothdruft, Zandra Rhodes: 50 Years of Fabulous, propone un piacevole excursus attraverso un bosco di arazzi di chiffon, bozzetti, lastre serigrafiche e cinquanta creazioni, una per ciascun anno di attività dell’artista, che svelano il processo creativo di Rhodes, alla quale nel 2014 è andata l’onorificenza di Dama Comandante dell’ordine dell’Impero Britannico, per i servizi resi alla moda e al tessile britannico. Presenti in mostra anche i capi realizzati per l’Opera, da Il Flauto Magico all’Aida.
LA CARRIERA
Zandra Rhodes si forma presso il Royal College of Arts, dove frequenta il corso di laurea in Stampa del tessuto, entrando in contatto con diverse figure chiave del mondo della moda. Il suo design è considerato avant-garde dalle aziende manifatturiere inglesi, mentre il suo procedimento creativo sovverte i cardini tradizionali di realizzazione dell’abito. Nel 1967 Rhodes apre la prima boutique in Fulham Road, in collaborazione con la stilista Sylvia Ayton. La partnership giunge al termine l’anno seguente e nel 1969 Rhodes lancia la prima collezione firmata con il suo nome, The Knitted Circle, che verrà presentata a New York, dietro consiglio dell’amico e interior designer Richard Holley.
Scelta da Diana Vreeland e pubblicata sulla copertina di Vogue America, Rhodes inizia la personale conquista del mercato americano, mentre in patria l’esclusivo Fortnum & Mason le dedica un’area riservata. I suoi abiti fanno rapidamente il giro del mondo, conquistando personalità influenti e dello spettacolo, dai Reali d’Inghilterra a Jacqueline Kennedy, Elizabeth Taylor, Cher e Freddie Mercury, per citarne solo alcuni. Nel 1977 Rhodes viene soprannominata la “principessa del punk”, in seguito alla presentazione sulle passerelle dell’iconica collezione Conceptual Chic, ispirata alla cultura punk del periodo. La designer è giunta ai giorni nostri mossa dalla sua inesauribile energia creativa. Attualmente Rhodes collabora con Liberty a Londra.
![Zandra Rhodes. 50 Years of Fabulous. Photo Bridie O’Sullivan © Fashion and Textile Museum](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Zandra-Rhodes.-50-Years-of-Fabulous.-Photo-Bridie-O%E2%80%99Sullivan-%C2%A9-Fashion-and-Textile-Museum-_5.jpg)
Zandra Rhodes. 50 Years of Fabulous. Photo Bridie O’Sullivan © Fashion and Textile Museum
L’UNICITÀ DI RHODES
Ci troviamo negli anni a cavallo tra il 1960 e 1970, periodo della grande rivoluzione culturale, Zandra Rhodes ha imparato l’arte del cucito dalla madre sarta e il suo modo di operare interpreta lo sviluppo dell’abito in modo inconsueto e libero. L’ideazione della stampa acquista precedenza sul bozzetto del capo finito. Rhodes disegna i tessuti su carta, ne taglia le forme geometriche e le attacca con spille al proprio corpo, studiandone i movimenti allo specchio. I disegni diventano preziosi ornamenti del capo finito. La fluidità dei tessuti adottati, la pittura manuale e le accese cromie, a tratti psichedeliche, si contrappongono ai rigorosi tagli geometrici di Mary Quant.
– Elena Arzani
Londra // fino al 26 gennaio 2020
Zandra Rhodes: 50 Years of Fabulous
THE FASHION AND TEXTILE MUSEUM
83, Bermondsey Street
https://www.ftmlondon.org/
![Zandra Rhodes, Chevron Shawl Print Circle, 1969](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Zandra-Rhodes-Chevron-Shawl-Print-Circle-1969-768x406.jpg)
![Dame Zandra Rhodes. Photo Simon Emmett](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Dame-Zandra-Rhodes.-Photo-Simon-Emmett-768x1024.jpg)
![Freddie Mercury and Brian May of Queen wear Zandra Rhodes tops on stage, 1974. Photo Douglas Puddifoot](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Freddie-Mercury-and-Brian-May-of-Queen-wear-Zandra-Rhodes-tops-on-stage-1974.-Photo-Douglas-Puddifoot-768x1177.jpg)
![Models wearing garments from Zandra Rhdoes AW 1976 77 ‘Mexican’ collection](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Models-wearing-garments-from-Zandra-Rhdoes-AW-1976-77-%E2%80%98Mexican%E2%80%99-collection-768x933.jpg)
![Polly Eltes and Louise de Teliga in punk ensembles, 1977 ca. Photo Clive Arrowsmith](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Polly-Eltes-and-Louise-de-Teliga-in-punk-ensembles-1977-ca.-Photo-Clive-Arrowsmith-768x1014.jpg)
![Zandra Rhodes' photo for the poster for the SS 1986 ‘Spanish Impressions’ collection. Photo Robyn Beeche](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Zandra-Rhodes-photo-for-the-poster-for-the-SS-1986-%E2%80%98Spanish-Impressions%E2%80%99-collection.-Photo-Robyn-Beeche-768x854.jpg)
![Zandra Rhodes with Pink Hair Pink Nails. Archived by ‘Zandra With A Zee’ Documentary about Zandra](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Zandra-Rhodes-with-Pink-Hair-Pink-Nails.-Archived-by-%E2%80%98Zandra-With-A-Zee%E2%80%99-Documentary-about-Zandra-768x768.jpg)
![Zandra Rhodes, ‘Cactus Highway’ print, 1976.](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Zandra-Rhodes-%E2%80%98Cactus-Highway%E2%80%99-print-1976..jpg)
![Zandra Rhodes, 1977. Photo John Swannell](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Zandra-Rhodes-1977.-Photo-John-Swannell-768x927.jpeg)
![Zandra Rhodes and models at Port Eliot Festival, Cornwall, 29 July 2017. Photo Louise Roberts](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Zandra-Rhodes-and-models-at-Port-Eliot-Festival-Cornwall-29-July-2017.-Photo-Louise-Roberts-768x512.jpeg)
![Zandra Rhodes, SS19 Lookbook. Photo Bridie O’Sullivan](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Zandra-Rhodes-SS19-Lookbook.-Photo-Bridie-O%E2%80%99Sullivan-768x1150.jpg)
![Zandra Rhodes, Top Brass Print, 1964 ca.](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Zandra-Rhodes-Top-Brass-Print-1964-ca.-768x1278.jpg)
![Zandra Rhodes. 50 Years of Fabulous. Photo Bridie O’Sullivan © Fashion and Textile Museum](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Zandra-Rhodes.-50-Years-of-Fabulous.-Photo-Bridie-O%E2%80%99Sullivan-%C2%A9-Fashion-and-Textile-Museum-_0-768x1150.jpg)
![Zandra Rhodes. 50 Years of Fabulous. Photo Bridie O’Sullivan © Fashion and Textile Museum](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Zandra-Rhodes.-50-Years-of-Fabulous.-Photo-Bridie-O%E2%80%99Sullivan-%C2%A9-Fashion-and-Textile-Museum-_1-768x1150.jpg)
![Zandra Rhodes. 50 Years of Fabulous. Photo Bridie O’Sullivan © Fashion and Textile Museum](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Zandra-Rhodes.-50-Years-of-Fabulous.-Photo-Bridie-O%E2%80%99Sullivan-%C2%A9-Fashion-and-Textile-Museum-_2-768x513.jpg)
![Zandra Rhodes. 50 Years of Fabulous. Photo Bridie O’Sullivan © Fashion and Textile Museum](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Zandra-Rhodes.-50-Years-of-Fabulous.-Photo-Bridie-O%E2%80%99Sullivan-%C2%A9-Fashion-and-Textile-Museum-_3-768x1068.jpg)
![Zandra Rhodes. 50 Years of Fabulous. Photo Bridie O’Sullivan © Fashion and Textile Museum](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Zandra-Rhodes.-50-Years-of-Fabulous.-Photo-Bridie-O%E2%80%99Sullivan-%C2%A9-Fashion-and-Textile-Museum-_4-768x523.jpg)
![Zandra Rhodes. 50 Years of Fabulous. Photo Bridie O’Sullivan © Fashion and Textile Museum](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Zandra-Rhodes.-50-Years-of-Fabulous.-Photo-Bridie-O%E2%80%99Sullivan-%C2%A9-Fashion-and-Textile-Museum-_5-768x875.jpg)
![Zandra Rhodes. 50 Years of Fabulous. Photo Bridie O’Sullivan © Fashion and Textile Museum](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Zandra-Rhodes.-50-Years-of-Fabulous.-Photo-Bridie-O%E2%80%99Sullivan-%C2%A9-Fashion-and-Textile-Museum-_6-768x541.jpg)
![Zandra Rhodes. 50 Years of Fabulous. Photo Bridie O’Sullivan © Fashion and Textile Museum](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Zandra-Rhodes.-50-Years-of-Fabulous.-Photo-Bridie-O%E2%80%99Sullivan-%C2%A9-Fashion-and-Textile-Museum-_7-768x1168.jpg)
![Zandra Rhodes. 50 Years of Fabulous. Photo Bridie O’Sullivan © Fashion and Textile Museum](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Zandra-Rhodes.-50-Years-of-Fabulous.-Photo-Bridie-O%E2%80%99Sullivan-%C2%A9-Fashion-and-Textile-Museum-_8-768x513.jpg)
![Zandra Rhodes. 50 Years of Fabulous. Photo Bridie O’Sullivan © Fashion and Textile Museum](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Zandra-Rhodes.-50-Years-of-Fabulous.-Photo-Bridie-O%E2%80%99Sullivan-%C2%A9-Fashion-and-Textile-Museum-_9-768x535.jpg)
![Zandra Rhodes. 50 Years of Fabulous. Photo Bridie O’Sullivan © Fashion and Textile Museum](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Zandra-Rhodes.-50-Years-of-Fabulous.-Photo-Bridie-O%E2%80%99Sullivan-%C2%A9-Fashion-and-Textile-Museum-_10-768x1201.jpg)
![Zandra Rhodes. 50 Years of Fabulous. Photo Bridie O’Sullivan © Fashion and Textile Museum](https://www.artribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Zandra-Rhodes.-50-Years-of-Fabulous.-Photo-Bridie-O%E2%80%99Sullivan-%C2%A9-Fashion-and-Textile-Museum-_11-768x1150.jpg)
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