‘Beyond the Front Row, Images from London Fashion Week’

This autumn PocketSquare – the skyline bar at Hyatt Place London City East – hosts ‘Beyond the Front Row, Images from London Fashion Week’, the first exhibition from fashion photographer Ben Broomfield.

Beyond the Front Row brings together Ben’s fashion photography from years spent behind the camera at London Fashion Week working with designers including Molly Goddard, Rejina Pyo, Jack Irving, Merchant Archive and Shrimps.

Ben’s career as a professional photographer spans twenty years and has seen him working with brands such as Burberry before becoming one of the British Fashion Council’s official photographers, covering numerous catwalk shows and parties, alongside the annual British Fashion Awards at the Royal Albert Hall. In this exhibition Ben presents a selection of his favourite images from London Fashion Week.
“As a photographer, Fashion Week is intense; I’m cycling between parties and shows, kit on my bike, editing on the fly or late at night. Afterwards I usually need to take a few days off to recover! But getting to experience the grand theatrically of the shows, the beautiful garments the designers have created, and the frantic activity backstage is so rewarding. I love being part of it.”
The exhibition is part of the Curated at Hyatt Place initiative - a revolving exhibition series that takes place across the Hyatt Place London City East Hotel in Whitechapel. The idea is part of a series of initiatives from the hotel’s General Manager which seeks to create new artwork and champion artists in their work with commissions and funding. All of the artwork will be available to purchase with 25% of all sales going into an art bursary that will be used to support and fund work from new London artists.

Visitors to the exhibition can stay for some skyline cocktails including The Duke; a tequila-based cocktail inspired by Ben ‘Duke’ Broomfield and his passion for fashion. PocketSquare’s expert art and creativity inspired cocktail list – ‘The PocketSquare Collection’ also includes charity cocktail In2Art; a homage to local visual art and design charity Intoart. Each drink is served with a piece of rice paper showcasing new artwork from the charity’s artists and £1 from every sale will be donated to the charity.

The PocketSquare team are passionate about championing young and up-and-coming artists. Last year the bar worked with east London Street artist Jay Kaes on a specially commissioned artwork for the bar. This summer PocketSquare collaborated with University of the Arts London textile design graduate Ellen Russell to transform the terrace for summer.