On the eve of this year’s Frieze London, Fashion’s Digest gathered leading women from across the cultural landscape to celebrate London Art Week and unveil our new monthly column, In The Frame—a platform spotlighting inspiring female figures shaping the arts and creative industries.
“In The Frame spotlights incredible women like yourselves leading creative industries,” said Fashion’s Digest Editor-In-Chief Andrea Thompson, addressing her guests. She continued, “Not just women who are doing brilliant things and making waves, but women lifting others as they rise—championing underrepresented voices across our industries.”
(L-R) Sophie Parker, Andrea Thompson, Mehret Mandefro and Madeleine Haddon
(Image credit: James Mason Photography)
The evening opened with a panel featuring In The Frame’s first subject, Madeleine Haddon, Senior Curator at V&A East, alongside Sophie Parker, Director of Photo London, and Mehret Mandefro, Co-founder of the African Film and Media Arts Collective (in collaboration with BMW).
In conversation with Andrea, the panel explored what it means to be a woman in the arts today—their inspirations, insights, and ambitions for the future.”
Madeleine Haddon, who held curatorial positions at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Frick Collection, the Yale University Art Gallery, and the Princeton University Art Museum, before joining the Victoria & Albert Museum to launch their new V&A East outpost, shared, “We opened our first building, V&A East Storehouse, this May, and we’re opening our second building, in the spring.”
Madeleine Haddon arriving at the event
(Image credit: James Mason Photography)
“We’re especially focused on attracting younger and more diverse audiences—those who might not have traditionally visited the V&A. I joined the team because I believe deeply in cultivating the next generation of museum visitors, professionals and patrons.”
“We have to appeal to them and make sure they feel art and museums are integrated into their lives, or else we will be a dying industry.”
“Diversifying the museum field—what we see on the walls and the experiences people have—is one of my greatest passions. Everyone should have the chance to encounter art in a way that feels transformative.”
The Frieze London X Fashion’s Digest dinner set-up
(Image credit: James Mason Photography)
Emmy Award-nominated writer, filmmaker, and anthropologist Mehret Mandefro added on the topic, “When you change the stories you tell, you change society. Young people have always led the way. Today, it’s easier to tell stories, and easier than ever to help them amplify their voices “
Mehret Mandefro arrives at the event
(Image credit: James Mason Photography)
On the subject of making art more inclusive, Sophie Parker, Director of Photo London, revealed, “One of the main things for me is the accessibility,” she said. “Like Madeleine, I want to introduce new audiences and collectors. Photography is such an inviting entry point for new collectors—you can start with a few hundred pounds and still own something meaningful.”
Sophie Parker speaking on the panel for Frieze London X Fashion’s Digest
(Image credit: James Mason Photography)
The panel also discussed how best to support women in the industry and navigate gender-based challenges so they can really thrive.
“There are so many women in all aspects of the art world who are unsung heroes, who are acknowledged for their work very often,” Madeleine explained. “Mentorship and making sure that people feel supported and seen, no matter what their role is, within the art world, is really key.”
The Fashion’s Digest team at the Frieze London X Fashion’s Digest event
(Image credit: James Mason Photography)
Meanwhile, Mehret added, “It sounds so small, but having an artist, someone like Julie Mehretu, who really takes the time to think about how to expand the aperture is certainly part of it, and I think the other thing is to remember that human history is very long, women have always transmitted culture.”
Ciinderella Balthazar attends the event
(Image credit: James Mason Photography)
“It’s actually an ancient thing we do. It’s in our bodies, it’s in our blood. We’re the ones who pass on mitochondrial DNA, and just to remember that all of this stuff is actually new.”
“There’s a much older history that women have been shaping for a very long time. I always have to remember that this is actually much more ancient than the frame we have right now, and I think that also gives us resolve.”
After the panel, guests including Devyani Saltzman, Artistic Director of the Barbican; artist Lakwena Maciver, and singer-songwriters Ella Eyre and Cinderella Balthazar, gathered for an intimate dinner at The Broadwick, where conversation continued around the themes explored earlier in the evening.
(L-R) Andrea Thompson, Marine Tanguy, Yomi Adegoke and Ella Eyre
(Image credit: James Mason Photography)
Read the inaugural In The Frame feature with Madeleine Haddon now—and stay tuned for future editions spotlighting more inspiring, creative women.