Fashion Victim

After YSYV we decided to continue our Neighbour Hood Watch programme, this time we looked at the links between street crime and street fashions and took a more artistic, rather than consultative approach

Artists Sanj Kavanagh and Simon Walker worked with a fahion designer, Zoe, to create a 'line' of street clothing, under the new fashion label '9mm'. The clothes were altered sports clothing, for instance trousers with hoods, all with the 9mm label stitched in.

The clothing was, appropriately, displayed in BA's 'Window Gallery' in Birmingham City Centre, ironically opposite Miss Selfridge's clothing shop. The window was dressed with bloody handprints, gravel and an led text display with messages such as '9mm - to die for'. The display was altered over the four week installation, including live 'mannequinn' sets by Simon and Sanj. We also interviewed members of the public about attitudes to fashion, street crime and the ways in which they might be linked and made 'labels' with them reflecting their answers.

further information is available on request. Fashion Victim was funded by Arts Council England and supported by Birmingham Artists