Fashion Forward

Claire Saul previews a new Museum of London Docklands exhibition illustrating the ways in which Jewish Londoners shaped global style

- Claire Saul

Diana, Princess of Wales and Dot Cotton are names that don't usually appear in the same sentence, yet they share a common link, as demonstrated by a major new exhibition opening at the Museum of London Docklands this month.

Fashion City: How Jewish Londoners Shaped Global Style showcases the contribution of Jewish designers, makers and retailers, from East End tailors to the couture salons of the West End, in making London an iconic fashion city. These individuals became leading figures in their industries, ran businesses which helped boost the postwar economy in Britain, founded retail chains still evident on today's high street and introduced some of the 20th century's most recognisable looks.

The exhibition includes items from recognisable stores such as Marks and Spencer, and Moss Bros, plus textiles, oral histories, objects, ephemera and photography, all framed against the places and spaces of London.

Key highlights include a Bellville Sassoon coat worn by the late Princess of Wales, and an Alexon tweed coat worn by the late actress June Brown as the beloved EastEnders character Dot Cotton. The Alexon (Alexander Steinberg and sons) brand sold the dream of high fashion at affordable prices, creating pieces made to endure.