At the MOP Foundation’s David Bailey’s Changing Fashion, co-curators Fenton Bailey, Malak Kabbani, and Bailey commemorate the legacy of one of photography’s greatest.
Lacquered red nails gleam before chrome cameras. Supermodel Penelope Tree transforms into Mickey Mouse. Shoe god Manolo Blahnik and muse Angelica Huston gallivant about. Each scene shares a common thread—being crafted through the lens of British photographer David Bailey.
The Marta Ortega Pérez (MOP) Foundation has launched the first major Spanish exhibition of Bailey’s work, featuring over 140 photographs—some exhibited for the first time—that made him the seminal lensman of the 1960s and 1970s. With his camera, charisma, and creative vision, Bailey helped shape our collective perception of modern celebrity.
Co-curated by his son, Fenton Bailey, with Malak Kabbani and Tim Marlow, David Bailey’s Changing Fashion immerses visitors in the mythos of a man who blurred the lines between starmaker and star: “[Bailey] did not simply document the stars with his camera; he was one of them.”
Like stepping into a Mayfair club, visitors find themselves amidst a who’s-who of 60s and 70s glitterati. Shots of Jean Shrimpton, Bailey’s muse who popularized the miniskirt, beckon you into Bailey’s world of pop culture iconography. Portraits of poet-rocker Patti Smith and punk trendsetter Jordan mingle with those of Keith Richards and Bob Marley against a jet-black wall. A sweeping promotional shot from the Rolling Stones album, Goats Head Soup, depicts the band shirtless and veiled in colored chiffon, like risqué brides. The show is a sensory delight for pop culture historians, rock aficionados, and photography buffs alike.
Mission has enjoyed a creative relationship with Bailey’s son, Fenton, who has brought his own stylistic vision to the last two issues of Mission. The visionaries behind David Bailey’s Changing Fashion—Fenton, Kabbani, and Bailey himself—reflected on topics like the role of artificial intelligence in photography and the enduring drive for the next, yet-to-be-captured masterpiece.
“I think it’s about connection, whether to a person or a place. That’s what makes a photographic moment feel real and alive.“
Fenton Bailey
On the essential elements of the photographic experience, Fenton muses: “I think it’s about connection, whether to a person or a place. That’s what makes a photographic moment feel real and alive.” Bailey puts it simply as “the person you are photographing.” He names Shrimpton and his wife, Catherine Bailey, as those with whom he shares the most seamless collaborative relationship. The use of AI has been a polarizing topic in the art world, but Fenton sees it as another tool: “It’s already been part of the process for years through Photoshop and digital editing. There’s definitely room for it in the creative industry, as long as it’s used thoughtfully and with intent.” Bailey concurs, offering a similarly open-minded “Don’t mind” to the question of film or digital.
With a parent so deeply rooted in the medium, Fenton had a hands-on learning experience: “I’ve worked with Bailey for years and have been inspired by his work. He gave me a job as a runner when I was 17, and I’ve travelled and worked with him on many shoots since then. Seeing firsthand how he connects with his subjects and how essential that connection is to creating something special shaped the way I see photography. That said, I’ve found my own path through the work I’ve done in the archive and through my own photographic journey.”
“Educating a new audience on Bailey’s work was also at the heart of our vision. We included an introduction to Bailey’s life in the East End as well as ending with a present-day section […] showing people his history and that he is still very much a contemporary and active photographer.“
Malak Kabbani
Delving into Bailey’s prolific archive was daunting, Kabbani labelling it a “labour of love.” Initially given a year to prepare, a schedule change afforded the team eight months to hone their vision, tailored to focus on Bailey’s extensive fashion work. “Educating a new audience on Bailey’s work was also at the heart of our vision,” Kabbani says. “We included an introduction to Bailey’s life in the East End as well as ending with a present-day section […] showing people his history and that he is still very much a contemporary and active photographer.” Fenton provided the exhibition’s title: “It seemed appropriate: Bailey did change fashion, and fashion is always changing.” Bailey declares: “Fashion has to change or you just have old-fashioned.”
Intimacy is afforded by a curatorial team close to the source. Accompanying Bailey’s music photography, his work playlist scores the space. “It was particularly moving for Malak and me,” Fenton says, “He will always have that music playing. It gives a real feel of what it’s like to be in his studio.” Mementos from Bailey’s life, such as his ‘cabinet of curiosities’ of family photos, Mickey Mouse toys, and collected conkers, adorn the space, enveloping visitors in the cherished items that inspire and reflect this singular figure.
“Fashion has to change or you just have old-fashioned.“
Bailey
While rooted in history, Bailey has a certain cavalier gameness that drives him to keep growing and not rest on his laurels. While he states that “everything changes with time,” his Rolleiflex 2.8 has stayed consistent. He doesn’t play favourites with his images, stating the most important picture is always the next one—the one he hasn’t taken yet.
On display at the Marta Ortega Pérez (MOP) Foundation between June 27 and September 14, 2025, in A Coruña, Spain. All images courtesy of Marta Ortega Pérez (MOP) Foundation and David Bailey.
