Speak to any Londoner, and they’ll likely have tales from one of their favourite old haunts that is sadly no longer with us. And now, the Design Museum has put on a whole exhibition that delves into one of them.
London’s iconic Blitz Club, which was a key pillar of the New Romantic movement of the early ’80s, is the subject of a dedicated exhibition at the Design Museum. The club saw the likes of David Bowie, Boy George, and the members of Spandau Ballet attend its nights, and the gallery will celebrate the music, fashion and design that made up Blitz – as well as the ‘Blitz Kids’ that shaped the space. It’ll run until March 29, 2026.
Blitz: The Club That Shaped The 80s
The Design Museum is celebrating the Covent Garden space forty years after it was closed, setting out to examine its history, atmosphere and the music behind what made the club so special. While it was only open for 18 months in 1979-1980, its influence on popular culture was pronounced. More than 250 items, some thought lost forever, have been uncovered during the research process and will be on display in one place to tell the story of the Blitz Kids.
The ‘Blitz Kids’ themselves were spearheaded by Steve Strange and Rusty Egan, who were co-hosts of the exclusive Tuesday club nights, and other prominent members of the core group included Stephen Jones, Robert Elms and Michele Clapton. Three prominent Blitz Kids were even invited to appear in David Bowie’s video for Ashes To Ashes after the singer attended the night himself.
You’ll hear more tales of the club in further detail at the exhibition, which has been created in collaboration with some of the leading Blitz Kids, and will feature stunning items of clothing, drawings, photographs and videos from the famous club night – many of which have never been seen by the public!
Plus, it has just been revealed that those attending the exhibition will be able to experience part of the night out’s feeling, with an immersive recreation of the Blitz Club. This includes a model of the bar, music, and a film playing to help you feel like you’re out revelling with the Blitz Kids.
Speaking on the exhibition, Danielle Thom, curator of Blitz: the club that shaped the 80s at the Design Museum, said: “It’s remarkable that so much of 1980s pop culture can be traced back to the Blitz scene. That the club night only ran for little over a year but shaped a whole decade is really astonishing, and so forty-five years on feels like the right time to explore the club’s enduring legacy in a major exhibition, as well as its continued impact today. After spending two years working with the Blitz Kids, hearing their stories and rediscovering their treasures from this radical period, it has reaffirmed to me that this wasn’t just a club night. It was the scene from which a decade was born.”
‘Blitz: The Club That Shaped The 80s’ runs at the Design Museum 224-238 Kensington High Street, London W8 6AG (nearest station is High Street Kensington) from September 20, 2025 – March 29, 2026. Tickets are on sale now, and you’ll be able to find out more at the Design Museum website.
