Glaswegian-born designer, illustrator, stylist, and radical creative Charles Jeffrey will be on display at Somerset House to celebrate the 10th anniversary of his fashion house Loverboy. The "The Lore of Loverboy" exhibition examines Charles’ sensational impact on the global fashion scene, from club to catwalk, and includes the full spectrum of his prolific output, with newly commissioned works.

Charles Jeffrey is one of Somerset House Studios’ original resident artists - whose studio is still based within Somerset House’s community of cultural innovators. He graduated from London’s Central Saint Martins in 2015, founding his fashion label Charles Jeffrey Loverboy shortly thereafter. It was named after the cult club night he had hosted weekly in East London to fund his studies and an internship in the haute couture ateliers of Christian Dior in Paris.

The exhibition will be anchored by the collaborative spirit nurtured during Jeffrey’s time at art school and that now sits at the root of his gender-inclusive brand’s narrative. Championing wearability and style for all, with fans including Harry Styles and Tilda Swinton, Loverboy has been lauded for ripping up the fashion rule book and transcending the boundaries of art, design, and music. Merging traditional tailoring with a punk ethos, its collections are both distinctly contemporary and yet also grounded in British subcultural traditions. With its colorful and cutting-edge designs, Charles Jeffrey Loverboy champions self-expression and artistry, a voice that is threaded throughout his work across mediums and the decade.

“I’m so excited to have this moment to share my journey in fashion at Somerset House. It's not just about celebrating 10 years of Loverboy; it's about sharing our approach to fashion; being creative, approachable, and not taking ourselves too seriously," Jeffrey said in a statement. “We're here to shine a light on what we've built and to show that if we can do it, so can you. Visitors can expect to see our journey, and our quirks, and have a good laugh along the way. It's about making fashion accessible and fun, reminding everyone that at the end of the day, it's about expressing who you are.”

The exhibition will be displayed across three rooms within Somerset House. It will include artistic collaborations, films, illustrations, paintings, memorabilia, and never-before-seen material. Through a series of sensorial-led spaces rendered in Loverboy's signature playful style, the exhibition will provide an accessible and engaging insight into creative production and the fashion industry. It will also provide the space to celebrate a new generation of young London creatives.

Each room has its own distinctive vision. Presented with an immersive multimedia installation, assembled from the Loverboy archive, the exhibition showcases Charles Jeffrey’s creative process across each space. The first room introduces his artistic inspirations, followed by a closer look into the development of his craft and codes, culminating in the final room featuring the brand’s most iconic and extravagant designs. It will be an engrossing insight into Charles Jeffrey’s journey and an opportunity to see his designs up close like never before.

The Lore of Loverboy
June 08 – September 01, 2024
Terrace Rooms
Somerset House
Strand, WC2R 1LA
London (UK)