A dark new exhibition at Live Archives is exploring fashion’s historic association with the occult and society’s conception of glamour.

Titled THE CIRCLE, the exhibition brings together pieces from the Live Archives private collection – from designers including Alexander McQueen, Anne Demeulemeester, Dior Homme, Yohji Yamamoto, Lanvin, Maison Martin Margiela, Rick Owens and Vivienne Westwood.

The exhibition takes inspiration from author Elizabeth Wilson’s 2007 essay A Note on Glamour, in which she explores glamour’s ancient Celtic roots whilst rejecting contemporary trends of “‘shameless self-exposure’ of tabloid-driven infamy, garish sequins and bared flesh.”

“Glamour is primarily an attribute of an individual. It is an appearance, including the supernatural, magical sense of that word—as in apparition. The appearance of glamour resides, though, or is created in combination with dress, hair, scent, and even mise en scene. Its end result is the sheen, the mask of perfection, the untouchability and numinous power of the icon.”

THE CIRCLE will be open to the public November 27–December 5, 2015 at Live Archives, 81 Mare Street E8 4RG