Margit Brandt Design 1965-1980

Margit Brandt Design

The Danish Museum of Art & Design plans to focus on Danish fashion history with an exhibition about one of the major designers from the second half of the 20th century – Margit Brandt.

The main theme of the exhibition is Margit Brandt’s fashion design from 1965-1980, the rebellious and radical decades with the youth revolt, women’s liberation and sexy clothes for both daughters and mothers. Margit Brandt and her husband Erik together gave the domestic Danish ready-made clothes industry an international dimension – Margit Brandt with clothes that were distinguished by consistently professional cut and well-designed details, and Erik Brandt with distinctive and personal marketing that was ahead of its time and inspired by avant-garde art and pop culture. Because of the quantity of material preserved from their production in the 1960s and 70s it is possible to revive the spirit of the time and to re-create a vibrant impression of the work carried out in Margit Brandt’s atelier. Through a wealth of original examples of Margit Brandt’s clothes from that time, displayed in tableaux together with drawings, photos and reports from fashion shows etc., her contribution as a fashion designer will be highlighted.
The exhibition pinpoints Margit and Erik Brandt’s significance for Danish fashion design from a period which marked a transition, in cutting and materials, from fine tailoring to ready-made clothing. The exhibition also demonstrates how the packaging of design was often provocative and played on the prejudices of the time.

Curator: Kirsten Toftegaard. Research: Marie Riegels Melchior. Consultant: Lene Utzon.
Exhibition architect: Elisabeth Topsøe. Graphic design: Grafiraf. Photography: Flemming Adelson, Jørn Freddie, Jørgen Sperling og Vagn-Ebbe Kier.
Lighting: Thomas Bakke, The Danish Museum of Art & Design. Sound: Jan Helmer-Petersen.
Interns: Kamilla Hoffmann og Ulrikke Mokdad. Documentary film: DR-arkiv. Film cut: Hurraaa v. Rune Brink Hansen.

Last updated 08.12.2010