Your Outlaws: Fashion Renegades of 80s Londonniw at the fashion and textile museum is a gem of an exhibition, clearly illustrating how the aesthetics of the late 80s influenced what lately asserted itself as a non conformism to the rigid stereotypes of masculinity and femininity. Leigh Bowery, Troyan, Susanne Bartsch, Pam Hogg, Vivienne Westwood, Katharine Hamnett, together with TastyTim, Rachel Auburn, Philip Salon, Roy Brown and many others, shaped what became the alternative London scene, with clubs like Blitz, the Mud club, and shops that were groundbreaking like Sex, Sign of the times, Biba, plus Kensington market a precursor of what we had later on with Camden Market, a place were creativity and new sartorial rules and looks were created, giving inspiration to the late Alexander McQueen with his bum showing trousers directly referencing the alternative, bondage look that created the don’t mess with me McQueen woman! Those people made a difference, challenged the status quo, went against the Thatcher obscurantism of Clause 28 and the previous government act that made life for queer people impossible and illegal. In this case fashion was not an ornament, it was a political stance, and it was effective if you think about the political slogans on the Hamnett T-shirt that declared choose life or any other relevant message. This is all very well documented and shown with the garments that are on display and wrrr kindly borrowed from some celebrities and from the archives of Browns, a shop that is now established, but that was groundbreaking when it was created, and have voice to an incredible array of talented people. A really good exhibition that goes far beyond the fashion and textile museum boundaries, showing us that clothes and fashion can, and should, ask questions to the establishment. Plus challenging the status quo is necessary in the current political climate, and the power of clothes, fashion, creativity, and the arts in general, should never be underestimated in order to raise the consciousness of the people. Go and see it !