Blitz: the club that shaped the 80s

Behind a door in a Covent Garden side street, the Blitz club was the place where 1980s style began. Inspired by everything from David Bowie, the punk and soul scenes, to continental cinema and cabaret culture, the brightest young talents of their generation came together to revolutionise fashion, music and design, turning a niche club night into a launchpad for global superstardom.

The scene launched the careers of many stars, including chart-topping performers Spandau Ballet, Visage, Boy George and Marilyn as well as a long list of designers, artists, filmmakers and writers — from couture milliner Stephen Jones and Game of Thrones costume designer Michele Clapton, to DJ and fashion writer Princess Julia and BBC broadcaster Robert Elms.

Forty years after its closure, visitors will be able to revisit the trailblazing club's history and atmosphere with a sensory extravaganza of music, flamboyant fashions, and pioneering art, film and graphic design.

Developed in close collaboration with some of the leading ‘Blitz Kids’ who were there, the exhibition will feature over 250 items, ranging from clothing and accessories, design sketches, musical instruments, flyers, magazines, furniture, artworks, photography, vinyl records and rare film footage.

Background image: Outside the Blitz club in 1979. Photo by Sheila Rock