Over the summer, some of the ABDA team have been enjoying their annual creativity days. These were introduced into the business in 2023 to give every employee the opportunity to switch off their computers and step away from their desks and do something which would help to develop their own creativity.

Claire and Tansin find they are most creative when working together and so chose to spend the day exploring a range of exhibitions in London.

Beyond Fashion exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery

This exhibition celebrates the most famous and sought after fashion photographers, showcasing work commissioned by renowned magazines and brands. It’s divided into four sections covering allure, fantasy, surrealism and realism and tells the story of how fashion photography has become more than a commercial device, and how it has evolved into an art form in its own right.

With the exhibition being split into the four sections, with different rooms and colours to differentiate between them, it helped our team to understand what may have influenced each artist or photographer. The sections exploring surrealism and realism were a particular highlight for Claire and Tansin.

Barbie Exhibition at the Design Museum

Initially it was only Claire who wanted to see the Barbie exhibition and Tansin was planning to visit the Van Gogh event. Tansin admits she is relieved she changed her mind as this was the most captivating and immersive exhibition she has ever been to. It was the highlight of her creativity day!

She commented: “The second I walked down the steps into the space I was fully engaged. The way the exhibition had been curated ensured you were immersed in all things Barbie starting with the debut doll, a timeline of events and different Barbies throughout the years. We learnt how they are now challenging stereotypes and championing diversity. It covered the fashion influences, the hairstyles, the houses, the vehicles and even the furniture used in the dolls’ houses. The exhibition was aimed at people of all ages, and I’d strongly recommend going if you get the chance!”

Whilst there, they also looked around the Design Museum at their permanent exhibition and their rotating exhibits including ‘Fables for our Time’ which is ‘a triptych of stories about environmental urgencies, that uses folktales and a new collection of emoji to examine humanity’s relationship with the natural environment’.

Claire and Tansin were impressed by the architecture as the space was so captivating. The use of raw, pared-back materials mixed with natural light interventions really took Tansin back to her university days.

Van Gogh Immersive Exhibition

This is a 360º digital art exhibition allowing you to step into the universe of the Dutch artist, Van Gogh. The immersive space allowed you to sit on deck chairs or stand and watch whilst images of Van Gogh’s artwork swept across all four walls. One of the highlights was the clips of quotes by Van Gogh which helped everyone to understand his thinking behind the way he worked.

Speaking about why she chose to visit these exhibitions, Tansin told us: “Last year as a group, we chose to look around the hospitality facilities in museums and galleries in London. This year I wanted to do something completely different but still creative. I’m so glad we managed to fit in three very different exhibitions and experiences, as well as looking at Eataly and Old Spitalfields Market on the way back to the train. You can be inspired by lots of different things, in lots of different places. Although fashion photography, Barbie and Van Gogh may not be linked to hospitality, exploring different ideas and understanding how different creatives work can be a real influence. I have definitely been inspired and this day has given me lots of food for thought!”