This October, the Westminster Menswear Archive and the University of Westminster hosted the first international edition of Beams’ Expedition Club at Ambika P3 — a landmark exhibition celebrating the global heritage of outdoor clothing. The event brought together collectors, curators, and retailers from across Japan, the USA, and the UK, highlighting how functional design and cultural storytelling have shaped the evolution of modern outerwear.
Exploring Outdoor Design Heritage
Curated by Shigeru Kaneko, Beams Plus Chief Buyer and author of Outdoor Expedition Book 99, the London edition offered a hands-on exploration of some of the world’s most influential garments in outdoor design. Visitors had the opportunity to examine rare pieces and original brand catalogues that traced the technical and aesthetic development of the field.
Key highlights included:
- Shigeru Kaneko’s personal archive of historic outdoor garments, offering insight into decades of design innovation.
- A travelling exhibition from the Outdoor Recreation Archive at Utah State University, featuring original outdoor brand catalogues and publications.
- Vintage alpine downwear curated by Jojo Elgarice of Rag Parade Sheffield, charting the European roots of today’s outdoor jackets.
The exhibition culminated in The Expedition of Outdoor Style panel talk, moderated by Professor Andrew Groves. The discussion united Kaneko, Clint Pumphrey (Outdoor Recreation Archive), Henry Iddon (photographer and author of Mountain Style), and Jojo Elgarice (Rag Parade) for an in-depth conversation about the evolution of outdoor wear — from alpine expeditions to contemporary wardrobes.
Behind the Event: Collaboration and Craft
Founded in 2016, the Westminster Menswear Archive now holds over 3,000 garments spanning tailoring, uniforms, workwear, and technical outerwear. Serving as a national resource for the study of menswear as material culture, its partnership with Beams underscored London’s growing role as a hub for global fashion dialogue — where craftsmanship, curation, and culture converge.
FoundPop provided tables and plinths throughout the expansive Ambika P3 space, shaping the flow of the exhibition and supporting the display of rare archival garments and curated collections. The modular setup allowed the curators to create an immersive environment that balanced functionality with design precision — reflecting the same spirit of craftsmanship celebrated in the exhibition itself.
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