Zen and the Art of London in the 70’s and 80’s

This week, we’re taking a virtual trip back into London’s “Glam” Era, led by two expert guides: photographer Karl Stoecker and vintage fashion connoisseur Keni Valenti. Join us for a discussion of all things London circa 1970-80 — pop art, Roxy Music, fashion design, and more.

These events are presented collaboratively by The Betsy Hotel, Florida International University, Miami Beach Urban Studios, and other community partners.

Karl Stoecker produced album covers for Roxy Music, the influential band formed by Bryan Ferry in the 70's,  and produced a series of Pop Art photographs - shot from 1972 to 1974 on St Michaels Street, London, in a studio over a garage, celebrating things like music, fashion, it girls, polka dots, leather, glitter, satin & lipstick - that distinctively capture  London's "Glam" Era, and include an infamous shot of Ernie from Lou Reed's "Transformer".  The Betsy Hotel features an exhibition by Stoecker called, "London 1973, "The New Romantics", with a soft opening during Miami Art Week, 2020.   

Keni Valenti was a club regular at Studio 54 and a former Hare Krishna follower realized young that his manic energy, sharp eye and gift for finding the hidden value in castoffs could be parlayed into a business. With these gifts he became a designer, stylist, and ultimately one of the world’s most admired collectors of vintage fashion, building an empire of retro couture and earning legendary status among designers, clients, and celebrity heavy hitters. Time magazine called him ‘the next Halston’.