Poets in Vogue: London exhibition explores 20th-century poets' fashion

The National Poetry Library at London's Royal Festival Hall hosts 'Poets in Vogue' until September 10, 2023, an exhibition curated by Sarah Parker and Sophie Oliver in collaboration with V&A costume designer Gesa Werner. Seven dress-installations evoke iconic poets including Sylvia Plath, Anne Sexton, Audre Lorde, Edith Sitwell, Stevie Smith, Theresa Hak Kyung Cha, and Gwendolyn Brooks. Most outfits are reconstructions based on archival photos, except Plath's tartan skirt, on loan from The Second Shelf. Sexton's red reading dress recalls her barefoot, cigarette-in-hand readings. Lorde's caftan with asymmetric print was originally self-created. A Lady Macbeth costume for Sitwell hangs from the ceiling. Stevie Smith's collars symbolize her poetic repetitions. Cha's work is represented by a photo from 'Aveugle Voix' (1975). The exhibition emphasizes the link between poetry and fashion as expressions of identity.