London, Tuesday 20 May 2025 — The Design Museum has unveiled plans for a landmark exhibition celebrating the iconic Blitz nightclub, widely credited with shaping the creative explosion of 1980s Britain. Blitz: The Club That Shaped the 80s will open on 20 September 2025, offering visitors a rare chance to immerse themselves in the birthplace of the New Romantic movement and a cultural scene that launched global stars and bold new aesthetics.
Announced this morning at a press event at Soho’s Groucho Club, the exhibition will feature over 250 never-before-seen objects, many drawn directly from the personal collections of the original “Blitz Kids” — the young, flamboyant creatives who gathered every Tuesday night at the Blitz wine bar in Covent Garden from 1979 to 1980.
The short-lived but influential club night was co-founded by Steve Strange and Rusty Egan, and was the starting point for now-famous names like Boy George, Spandau Ballet, Visage, and Marilyn, alongside fashion designer Stephen Jones, broadcaster Robert Elms, Game of Thrones costume designer Michele Clapton, and countless others who went on to redefine music, fashion, and design in the 1980s.
Curated by Danielle Thom, the exhibition promises an immersive experience that traces the journey from the bleak streets of 1970s London to the dazzling glamour of the Blitz scene. Highlights include the synthesiser Spandau Ballet used to record their first album, Gary Kemp’s handwritten lyrics, original club fashion worn by attendees, and rarely seen issues of The Face and i-D magazines — both of which were born from the Blitz’s influence.
Other standout pieces include designs by David Holah, early millinery from Stephen Jones, garments by Melissa Caplan and Stephen Linard, and even work by a young fashion graduate who would later become the singer Sade.
The exhibition will also feature rare photography, music videos, BBC archival news footage, and newly recorded audio interviews with Blitz Kids reflecting on the era’s energy and creativity.
Rusty Egan, speaking at the launch, reflected: “Steve Strange found me, and we knew we had to do something… With an attitude — and my record collection — we had some parties, and that was the start. The rest, as they say, was history.”
Design Museum CEO Tim Marlow added: “The Blitz Kids were among the brightest young talents of their generation. This show will be a sensory extravaganza — a bold, emotional journey through the art, sound, and spirit of a radical era.”
The exhibition coincides with the reprint of the cult book We Can Be Heroes: Punks, Poseurs, Peacocks and People of a Particular Persuasion, now available for pre-order through the Design Museum shop.
Blitz: The Club That Shaped the 80s opens at the Design Museum, London, on 20 September 2025. Tickets are on sale now at designmuseum.org.