Spice Girls’ outfits on display at ‘Cool Britannia’ exhibition celebrating 1996

Outfits worn by the Spice Girls including Mel B’s leopard-print catsuit are to go on display at a “Cool Britannia” exhibition celebrating the “wildest year” of the 1990s.

Liam Gallagher’s tambourine, Geri Halliwell’s Union flag platform boots, and a Brit Award are among the items featuring in the free exhibition at the Barbican Music Library in central London.

Curated by former editor of The Sun newspaper Dominic Mohan, the show will “capture that magical period when pop, rock, football, art, dance culture, food, the media and politics fused together spectacularly”.

It celebrates the year of 1996, when the Spice Girls rose to fame and scored three number ones, Oasis performed their famous Knebworth gig, and the comedy-drama Trainspotting hit cinemas and became a cultural phenomenon.

Also featured in the exhibition, called 1996: A celebration of the wildest year of Britain’s wildest decade – 30 years on, is Emma Bunton’s blue dress, pictures by British photographers Jill Furmanovsky and Derek Ridgers of bands on and off stage, previously unseen Oasis memorabilia, and concert flyers and tickets.

Mel B, or Scary Spice, wore her leopard-print catsuit at the girl group’s performance at the 1997 Brit Awards.

The Spice Girl, 50, said: “It is now the moment to unleash my ’90s leopard catsuit back into the wild for the world to admire. What memories. What a time. What an outfit.

“Perhaps one of the most iconic Spice performances with my gorgeous girls and best friends at the peak of the ’90s at the Brit Awards. A glorious moment when we came home to celebrate a rollercoaster seven months after exploding from unknowns in July 1996 to feeling like we had conquered the world. It was all a crazy ’90s whirlwind but, in my leopard print, I knew I could take on anything.

“This outfit is sexy, naughty, and bold, which pretty much sums up me and the ’90! I hope you love it as much as I do. And, yes, I can still fit into it.

“Enjoy one of my most loved and treasured items from my personal archive. Thirty years on, cherish the memory, and enjoy the exhibition. Love life. Girl power 2026.”

The 1996 Brit award – which has been loaned to the exhibition from the British Phonographic Industry – was presented to winning artists of that year.

This included Oasis, fronted by Liam and Noel Gallagher, who won three awards, Annie Lennox, Supergrass, Paul Weller, Take That, David Bowie and Michael Jackson.

Curator Mr Mohan said: “I’m thrilled that we’ve got Mel B’s catsuit, Geri’s platform boots, Emma B’s dress, Liam’s tambourine, and a Brit Award trophy all jostling for position next to so many other incredible items.

“In creating this exhibition, I’ve hoped to capture that magical period when pop, rock, football, art, dance culture, food, the media and politics fused together spectacularly to become the wildest year of Britain’s wildest decade.”

Brendan Barns, chairman of the City of London Corporation’s Culture, Heritage and Libraries Committee, said: “Whatever brings back happy memories or ignites your interest in this rollercoaster year, Dominic Mohan’s star-studded take on Cool Britannia is going to be one of the hottest free exhibitions in the capital.”

The exhibition at the City of London Corporation’s library will open at the venue on Thursday and run until September 19.