I do love The Museum of London Docklands. It occupies a former warehouse building on the water of Canary Wharf and is surrounded by the huge, glassy buildings of this corporate district. There’s always so much to see at the Museum but I do recommend this very charming exhibition which celebrates the huge influence of Jewish immigrants on London’s fashion scene.

Families journeyed across Europe during the 19th and 20th century, avoiding pogroms and persecution, to establish homes and enterprises in London’s East End. Many of these clever makers developed their skills into haute couture and class tailoring.

The image of ‘swinging London’ owes a great deal to the entrepreneurial clothing manufacturers who emerged from these East End families. Think of High Street names like Mates, M&S, Moss Bross and Wallis. They all found ways to make fashion accessible as the young consumers of the 1960s and 70s flocked to shopping areas such as Carnaby Street and the King’s Road in search of stylish but affordable clothes.

And I hadn’t realised that it was Mr Fish who invented the Kipper Tie.

I did love seeing all the hats and shoes and accessories too. And towards the end of the show is the recreation of a kind of boutique where cool kids and dedicated followers of fashion would find their clothes.

The show is on until 14th April 2024.