[title]
Even if you can’t name a single one of her artworks, chances are you know what Frida Kahlo looked like. The Mexican artist - played by Salma Hayek in the film biopic - is famous for her iconic uniform of lushly coloured dresses, elaborate shawls and a monobrow, partly because of her fondness for creating self-portraits. This summer, the V&A are staging a major exhibition of Frida’s beautiful clothes, Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up (June 16 - November 4). Many of which are pretty much works of art in their own right. Here are some of the highlights:
Mexican Clothes
Fashion was political for Frida, who embraced the sartorial traditions of Mexico and South America to celebrate her cultural identity and the Mexican Revolution.
Make-up
Long before Cara Delevingne made you throw out the tweezers, Frida knew the power of a strong brow. The V&A have got hold of the eyebrow pencil she used - in ‘Ebony’, obvs - along with Revlon lipstick and nail varnish.
Medical Aids
Childhood polio and a horrific bus crash left Frida with lifelong medical problems and chronic pain. Included in the exhibition are several surgical corsets and this, a prosthetic leg with a red leather boot and Chinese-inspired embroidery.
Muray’s Photos
Along with her own self-portraits, Frida’s taste in fashion has stayed with us thanks to a series of super-bright photographs taken of her by Nickolas Muray. Check these out and it won't be long before you're plaiting flowers into your own hair.
Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up, sponsored by Grosvenor Britain & Ireland, opens at the V&A on June 16, and tickets are on sale from March 8. Find out more here.