London’s 1980s Blitz club to be explored in Design Museum exhibit

An exhibition is set to examine London’s iconic Blitz club – the 1980s haunt of the likes of Boy George and David Bowie.

The Blitz club in Covent Garden was a key hub for the new romantic movement in the 1980s helping to shape fashion, music and wider pop culture in the UK.

The London Design Museum has said their exhibit next year will be a “sensory extravaganza” and an exploration of London’s early 1980s club scene.

It has been developed in collaboration with some of the leading members of Blitz Kids – those who frequented the club most.

The museum’s description of the exhibit states: “Behind a door in a Covent Garden side street, the Blitz club was the place where 1980s style began.

“It’ll be an opportunity to revisit London’s clubland at the beginning of the decade, as the furious idealism of the 1970s gave way to the glossy individualism of the 1980s.”

It will also feature art, design, architecture and technology and showcase a “new generation” of international designers.

The Design Museum’s full calendar of exhibitions for next year has been announced.

The plans include a show about swimming and swimwear and another focusing on how design can help the environment thrive by considering more than just human needs.

A Wes Anderson retrospective will also look into the filmmaker’s iconic visual style.

The Blitz club exhibit will run from 19 September 2025 to 29 March 2026.