Who doesn’t love to give the occasional dirty look? Barbican Centre’s Dirty Looks: Desire and Decay in Fashion takes it to another level. Less shade, more statement, these looks explore the pairing of high fashion and dirt. Yes, actual dirt. But don’t let that scare you (or have you reaching for the laundry detergent!) This exhibition explores how dirt can be used to transform a garment, how dirt occurs as we wear a garment, and how fashion returns to the earth at the end of its life. Here’s my review of one of my favourite fashion exhibitions of 2025…
Filthy, Filthy Fashion
Barbican Centre curates brilliant fashion exhibitions. 2024’s Unravel Exhibition inspired a new respect for textile art and women in art alike. Dirty Looks also struck a chord, breaking fashion norms in a time of overly-polished celebrity red carpets and heavily filtered social media. I also visited during Black Friday weekend, giving another dimension: a way to appreciate fashion and beauty without needing to consume.
Across the exhibition, you’ll find collections where dirt has been introduced to produce novel creations and rich storytelling. And it’s executed with such glamour – see the sparkling sweat-encrusted gown – Alice Potts‘ Perspire Madame Gres Biocuture dress – or the alluring bog witch dress – Dilara Findikoglu‘s ‘Waking the Witch’ – for reference.
Returning To The Earth
However, dirt isn’t just another fashion accessory. The exhibition demonstrates dirt and its deep connection with fashion as a mode for creation, as expertly demonstrated by Hussein Chalayan, plus its deep connection with ourselves as humans. From biblical stories of old to the distressing tales told by Alexander McQueen, we have a strong connection to the earth. We need dirt to survive. We create dirt as we wear our garments. And those garments, in turn, become dirt.
(I was shocked to find myself censoring this review when editing the photos for it – I found the bodily fluids section just a little too much to include. But doesn’t that say something in itself?)
Fashioned From Waste
Another aspect I particularly enjoyed was seeing waste used as textiles, with differing social commentaries. Masion Margiela ‘Artisanal Co-Ed by John Galliano’ sees corrugated cardboard-like fabric and masking tape applied in a classic Margiela silhouette, proffering both an Emperor’s New Clothes disdain for the elite, and a luxurious irony that laughs at the working class. On the other end of the scale is the IAMISIGO collection by Bubu Ogisi, made from salvaged materials, that taps right into the beating heart of circular fashion. It’s luxe, contemporary, and a startling reminder of our need to address waste colonialism.
Regenerative Fashion
Of course, my interest peaked in the regenerative fashion part of the exhibition. You can find these pieces towards the end of the exhibition, indicating a modern day shift away from traditional haute couture and re-rooting into fashion’s ongoing pollution crisis. The INHERIT Collection by Yuima Nakazato showcased regenerative fashion sourced from disposed clothing in Kenya. The pieces are absolutely exquisite, and resulted in a runway show at Paris Haute Couture Week. And isn’t that what luxury fashion should be about? Real sustainability, real storytelling. Real dirt.
My Rating of Dirty Looks: 8/10
I enjoyed Dirty Looks, especially in a time of mass overconsumption. The exhibition takes a wide lens to the taboos of dirt, how fashion originates from dirt, and how we can take wasteful fashion and make it new again. I did think the exhibit took a rather privileged point of view; there was no exploration of fashion that is designed to come into contact with dirt, such as uniforms or protective gear, and there was no grounding in dirty clothes worn out of necessity, due to poverty or homelessness. Instead, there was more of a focus on dirt as a taboo, which in a way, doesn’t really break that taboo. If you get chance between now and the end of January, it’s definitely worth a visit.
Dirty Looks: Desire and Decay in Fashion is on until Sunday 25th January 2026.
