“British men are peacocks. You see a lot more style on the streets here than you see anywhere else, on every level.” Tom Ford

Dandy Style focuses on men’s fashion and image over the last 250 years. Drawing contrasts and comparisons between fashion, art and photography, and melding the historic with the contemporary, the provocative with the respectable, Dandy Style will consider key themes in the development of male style, image and identity.

The exhibition will feature a wide selection from Manchester Art Gallery’s outstanding menswear and portraiture collections, and, unusually, will present fashion and fine art as equal participants. Dandy Style will showcase approximately 75 outfits and a similar number of portraits and photographs that show immaculate tailoring, sumptuous fabrics, ornate decoration and subcultural styles in rarely seen menswear.

Its two sections – Tailored Dandy and Decorated Dandy – open with imposing imaginary portraits, Tailor and Dandy, by Turner Prize winning international artist, Lubaina Himid.

Whilst most of the works will be from Manchester’s collection, representing a unique opportunity to show noteworthy pieces which have not before been on public display, the exhibition will also include loans of significant items from other art institutions and private lenders.