Well, that’s stating the obvious. What I mean is this: After working really intensely and obsessively on a big exhibition for the best part of a year, it’s just really great to have a launch event to celebrate the fact that the work is finally in place, and to set a very definite milestone. I think many of you may know that anticlimactic feeling you get after putting up a solo show with new work: “And now what do I do?” Instead of feeling excited and relieved, one may feel exhausted, flat and maybe even a bit down. I’ve been there, more than once. But I’m glad to report that this time there is none of that feeling, and I put that down in no small part to the fantastic private view last week. It was just such a lovely night, great atmosphere, more than 140 people came and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. I had a chance to say thank you – to Arts Council England, to Anna Mason and her colleagues at the William Morris Gallery for their unfailing support all the way through the project, and to all the experts and organisations who helped me during my research and contributed to making the exhibition happen. And we had a fantastic poetry performance by Other Theresa. I just bobbed along happily, like a log on water…
Looking ahead, I don’t think there will be much chance of me being at a loss of what to do in November: With fashion lecturer Fenella Magnus, I’ll be running a series of ethical fashion workshops for GCSE/BTEC students. Then there will be an evening panel discussion on 12 November “Is fashion still to die for?” which I’m very excited about as the panel will include Sam Maher of Labour Behind the Label, who has spent a lot of time in Bangladesh after the Rana Plaza disaster, as well as Clara Lissaman who has her own sustainable menswear business and is also Director of SOURCE, the Ethical Fashion Forum‘s consultancy arm. Also, I will be giving talks to members of the Textile Society on the back of their Annual Conference, and to students of the V&A/RCA MA History of Design course. Busy times ahead – all good.
