Blitz: The Club That Shaped The 80s at the Design Museum

Photo: designmuseum.org

The Design Museum will be diving into the fashion and music of the legendary Blitz – the Covent Garden club where 1980s style began.

Located behind a door in Great Queen Street every Tuesday night, the club was hosted by Steve Strange and Rusty Egan and attracted a generation of bright young things who created a thriving subculture that revolutionised fashion, music and design.

It started out as a meeting point for like-minded artists and students from the nearby St. Martin's School of Art, who would often debut their designs in the club. The 'Blitz Kids' became trendsetters who extended their influence far beyond the club's walls, attracting regulars like Boy George, Marilyn and Spandau Ballet that turned the club into a launchpad to superstardom.

It might have been closed for forty years, but visitors will be able to relive its atmosphere with an extravaganza of music, fashion and art, created in collaboration with some of the leading 'Blitz Kids' who were there.

On display will be some of their New Romantic fashions, drawings, photographs and videos, many of which have never been on public display.

How to get to the Design Museum

Oyster Visitor Oyster Contactless Travelcards Child fares Senior fares

Bus and train fares to Design Museum

Fare zone	Cash	Oyster & Contactless				Travelcard
	Single fare	Single fare		Daily cap		One day
		Peak	Off-peak	Peak	Off-peak	Any­time	Off-peak
Bus (all zones)	n/a	£1.75		£5.25		£6
Train (zone 1)	£7	£2.90	£2.80	£8.90	£8.90	£16.60(zone 1-4)	£16.60(zone 1-6)
Train (zone 1-2)	£7	£3.50	£2.90	£8.90	£8.90
Train (zone 1-3)	£7	£3.80	£3.10	£10.50	£10.50
Train (zone 1-4)	£7	£4.60	£3.40	£12.80	£12.80
Train (zone 1-5)	£7	£5.20	£3.60	£15.30	£15.30	£23.60(zone 1-6)
Train (zone 1-6)	£7	£5.80*	£3.80*	£16.30	£16.30
* Journeys between zone 1 and Heathrow are always charged at the peak rate. Prices are correct as of 2nd March 2025

Bus No.9, 10, 27, 28, 49 and C1 all stop near the Design Museum. The closest train station is High Street Kensington Circle District. Plan your journey from Bank, Charing Cross, Earl’s Court, Euston, King’s Cross St. Pancras, Liverpool Street, London Bridge, Marylebone, Paddington, Victoria, Waterloo or another station:

Acton TownAldgateAldgate EastAll SaintsAngelArchwayArsenalBaker StreetBalhamBankBarbicanBarons CourtBayswaterBecktonBeckton ParkBelsize ParkBermondseyBethnal GreenBlackfriarsBlackhorse RoadBlackwallBond StreetBoroughBounds GreenBow ChurchBow RoadBrent CrossBrixtonBromley-By-BowCaledonian RoadCamden TownCanada WaterCanary WharfCanning TownCannon StreetChalk FarmChancery LaneCharing CrossChiswick ParkClapham CommonClapham NorthClapham SouthColliers WoodCovent GardenCrossharbourCustom HouseCutty SarkCyprusDeptford BridgeDevons RoadDollis HillEaling BroadwayEaling CommonEarl’s CourtEast ActonEast FinchleyEast HamEast IndiaEast PutneyEdgware Road (B)Edgware Road (C)Elephant & CastleElverson RoadEmbankmentEustonEuston SquareFarringdonFinchley RoadFinsbury ParkFulham BroadwayGallions ReachGloucester RoadGolders GreenGoldhawk RoadGoodge StreetGreat Portland StreetGreen ParkGreenwichGunnersburyHammersmithHampsteadHanger LaneHarlesdenHeathrow T4Heathrow T5Heathrow T2&3Hendon CentralHeron QuaysHighbury & IslingtonHighgateHolbornHolland ParkHolloway RoadHyde Park CornerIsland GardensKenningtonKensal GreenKensington (Olympia)Kentish TownKew GardensKilburnKilburn ParkKing George VKing’s Cross St. PancrasKnightsbridgeLadbroke GroveLambeth NorthLancaster GateLangdon ParkLatimer RoadLeicester SquareLewishamLeytonLeytonstoneLimehouseLiverpool StreetLondon BridgeLondon City AirportMaida ValeManor HouseMansion HouseMarble ArchMaryleboneMile EndMonumentMoorgateMornington CrescentMudchuteNeasdenNew CrossNew Cross GateNorth ActonNorth EalingNorth GreenwichNorthfieldsNotting Hill GateOld StreetOvalOxford CircusPaddingtonPark RoyalParsons GreenPiccadilly CircusPimlicoPlaistowPontoon DockPoplarPrince RegentPudding Mill LanePutney BridgeQueen’s ParkQueenswayRavenscourt ParkRegent’s ParkRichmondRotherhitheRoyal AlbertRoyal OakRoyal VictoriaRussell SquareSeven SistersShadwellShepherd’s BushShepherd’s Bush MarketShoreditch High StreetSloane SquareSouth EalingSouth KensingtonSouth QuaySouth WimbledonSouthfieldsSouthwarkSt. James’s ParkSt. John’s WoodSt. Paul’sStamford BrookStepney GreenStockwellStonebridge ParkStratfordSurrey QuaysSwiss CottageTempleTooting BecTooting BroadwayTottenham Court RoadTottenham HaleTower GatewayTower HillTufnell ParkTurnham GreenTurnpike LaneUpton ParkVauxhallVictoriaWalthamstow CentralWappingWarren StreetWarwick AvenueWaterlooWembley CentralWembley ParkWest ActonWest BromptonWest HamWest HampsteadWest India QuayWest KensingtonWest SilvertownWestbourne ParkWestferryWestminsterWhite CityWhitechapelWillesden GreenWillesden JunctionWimbledonWimbledon ParkWood GreenWood Lane