The journal
Breathing Colour into Cecil Beaton's Fashionable World
Step into Cecil Beaton's fashionable world at the National Portrait Gallery, where our paints infuse each room with vibrant colour and energy, bringing his timeless portraits and unmistakable vision vividly to life.
Curated by photographic historian and Vogue contributing editor Robin Muir, the National Portrait Gallery's exhibition celebrates Cecil Beaton's extraordinary influence on fashion and portraiture, tracing his meteoric rise and lasting legacy. The gallery presents an intimate encounter with some of the twentieth century's most iconic figures, including Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando; Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret; Lucian Freud, Francis Bacon and Salvador Dalí. Each portrait is imbued with life, drama and depth, masterfully enhanced by our distinctive palette.
Around 250 items are on display, spanning photographs, sketches, costumes and letters, all set against walls awash in a curated colour scheme that lets the portraits pop. Soft, nuanced shades like Whitehall™ No.9, a warm off-white with subtle ochre undertones, and Rain JB.03, a gently uplifting grey-green, create a refined backdrop that perfectly frames Beaton's world of glamour and creativity.
Accent hues punctuate the exhibition with bold personality: the near-black Blackout™ No.41, the purple-tinted blue Blueprint™ No.50, and the sophisticated Market Green™ No.38, each adding depth, style and character, while the rich mineral red of Blomster JB.01 and the vibrancy of FTT-006™ Shocking Pink interject striking moments that draw the eye and enliven the gallery experience. Together, this masterful interplay of colour elevates the atmosphere, echoing Beaton's signature flair for drama, theatricality and visual storytelling.
Across several interlinked themes, Beaton's world is explored in detail, tracing his journey from a child of the Edwardian era experimenting with his first camera on his sister and mother (c.1910), through his inventive Cambridge years, to the striking portraits of high-society figures such as Stephen Tennant and the Sitwell siblings that first established his reputation. Our colours pull you through the exhibition, guiding you along Beaton's journey, muted, understated tones for his youth and experimentation to richer, royal shades that echo the glamour of his later career, mirroring his striking compositions and larger-than-life personality.
Our CEO Dominic Myland says: "Cecil Beaton's Fashionable World celebrates creativity that transcends the ages, and we're delighted to see how the exhibition's designers have confidently incorporated our colours to enhance the works and the visitor's experience."
Our signature Marble Matt Emulsion graces the exhibition walls, chosen not only for its rich, velvety coverage and depth of colour but also for its environmentally conscious formulation. Jude Simmons, Head of Design at the National Portrait Gallery, comments: "We found the perfect range of Mylands colours for this show, adding a touch of theatre, glamour and fun but giving a serious note when needed. Rain by Jinny Blom works especially well with the vintage black-and-white photographs, a colour I'll certainly be using again."
Want to visit? Find tickets here and explore our colours at the National Portrait Gallery.
