In this week's blog post, Costume Society trustee Victoria Haddock gives us an insight into 'The In Crowd' exhibition of Mod style at Brighton Museum & Art Gallery.
“The In Crowd: Mod Fashion & Style 1958-66 isn’t just about the clothes; it’s about capturing the restless spirit of a generation.” – Roger K. Burton
Emerging in London in the late 1950s, the Mod movement was one of the defining subcultures of the 20th century. The increasing affluence of post-war Britain meant that teenagers and young adults had disposable income that they could spend on music andclothes in the new youth-targeted boutiques, creating their own modern identity. Mart Pel, Curator of Fashion and Textiles at Brighton Museum explained “In the wake of post-war austerity, Mods turned their backs on the drabness of the past and embraced a bold, new identity, with clean lines, vivid colours, and a sense of optimism that spoke volumes. They weren’t just dressing up but redefining what it meant to be young and British.”
By rebelling against their parent’s generation and celebrating youth and creative independence, the Mods created a youth movement that refused to follow the rules. Speaking to Sussex World in 2025, Pel defined ‘Mod’ as a “term created in the media in about 63 or 64 and it became the media term covering everything teenage fashion, but the Mods were really much more diverse than that. The movement came out of the jazz clubs and coffee bars in Notting Hill and Soho in the late 50s. They were termed modernists because it came out of modern jazz and they became the mods.”
Brighton is inextricably linked with the Mod movement and 2025 seems the perfect year for the city to celebrate the subculture. In 1964, the city was infamously the location of the ‘Battle of Brighton’ that saw violent clashes on the beach between Mods and Rockers, and the year before Brighton-born Arthur Benjamin Sugarman launched the first Ben Sherman shirt that became synonymous with Mod fashion. Ben Sherman is celebrating its connections to Brighton and the Mod movement, and the opening of a new flagship store in the city, by sponsoring Brighton Museum & Art Gallery’s exhibition, The In Crowd: Mod Fashion and Style 1958-1966 that celebrates the city’s special place in the story of this iconic youth movement..
Brighton Museum & Art Gallery has played host to a number of successful fashion exhibitions over the last twenty years, including Queer Looks, Lee Miller: Dressed, Biba and Beyond: Barbara Hulanicki, and Fashion and Fancy Dress: The Messel Family Dress Collection 1865 – 2005. Hedley Swain, CEO of Brighton & Hove Museums, has said “This exhibition not only showcases the remarkable craftsmanship and innovation of Mod fashion but also celebrates Brighton’s unique historical connection to this influential youth movement. Brighton & Hove Museums provides the perfect setting, offering visitors an inspiring opportunity to explore the cultural and stylistic legacy that continues to resonate across generations.”
Curated by the late Roger K. Burton, a former Mod and founder of The Contemporary Wardrobe Collection, in collaboration with Martin Pel, The In Crowd focuses on the influences and impact of Mod style in the years 1958 to 1966, reflecting on the enduring appeal of Mod culture. It is one of the first exhibitions dedicated to Mod fashion, following on from MODS: Shaping a Generation that was on display at Leicester Museum and Art Gallery during the summer of 2019. The exhibition brings together over 35 dressed mannequins showcasing fully accessorised Mod ensembles drawn from the renowned collection of Roger K. Burton. During his 50-year career, Burton amassed over 20,000 items of clothing and accessories that formed his Contemporary Wardrobe Collection. He provided original 1960s clothing for the 1978 cult film Quadrophenia, museum exhibitions, and worked with music icons such as David Bowie and The Rolling Stones.
What makes this exhibition unique is the opportunity to see how Mod men and women styled their clothes down to the smallest accessory, for instance shoes, ties, hats, gloves and pocket squares (sourced from Burton’s collection). “Every piece tells a story of self- expression and defiance,” stated Pel. “It was fashion with purpose, and that legacy still resonates today.” There is almost an equal balance of menswear and womenswear on display, and whilst pieces from influential 1960s designers including John Stephen and Mary Quant are exhibited; it is fascinating to see the mix of famous and lesser-known labels favoured by Mods.
Burton has discussed the relationship between Mods and their clothing by stating that "These garments were statements of individuality, rebellion, and modernity" that were ultimately “more than just a fashion statement, they embraced a fresh outlook on life, celebrating youth, freedom, and modernity in ways that continue to inspire today.” When asked about the enduring appeal of Mod as a subculture, curator Martin Pel told Sussex World that Mod is perennial because they took their influences from everywhere; “It’s still part of the fashion industry… you look at Dior’s menswear collection of just a year ago and its completely Mod.”
Visitors are guided through three rooms of mannequins on open display that are shown alongside contemporary photography, film and print ephemera that traces the development of the Mods while also honouring Brighton’s special place in the movement. Music is a large part of the Mod movement and is therefore heavily featured in the exhibition. A soundtrack of
1960s hits plays in the gallery, including the 1964 Dobie Gray song 'The 'In' Crowd' that the exhibition takes its title from. There is also a spotlight on the music television programme, Ready Steady Go! hosted by 'Queen of the Mods' Cathy McGowan, that combined music performances, fashion commentary, and celebrity interviews.
The exhibition celebrates the trailblazing designers and craftmanship that went into creating the cultural defining Mod style with its minimalist, sleek and sharp tailoring and bold colours, whilst also celebrating Brighton’s unique connection to the movement. In the words of Roger K. Burton, “The Mods created a lifestyle, it was a cultural movement that remained relevant for generations. What started as a youthful rebellion in post-war Britain became a global phenomenon. This exhibition will show how that spirit still influences fashion today.”
As part of the museum’s partnership with Ben Sherman, a special installation titled Ben Sherman: The Decades is running alongside The In Crowd in the Fashion Gallery. Featuring 12 mannequins dressed in archival pieces, including the brand’s signature shirts and Harrington jackets, this small display explores some of the classic pieces that have been worn by legendary cultural figures throughout the decades. Visitors can also test their fashion and music history knowledge through an interactive quiz accessed via a QR code on the display case.
The In Crowd: Mod Fashion & Style 1958-66 and Ben Sherman: The Decades will be on display at Brighton Museum & Art Gallery until 4 January 2026. Free with Brighton Museum admission, members free.
