During the post-Punk and New Romantic early to mid '80s, when street and club styles dominated the British fashion scene, BodyMap was described by the Chicago Tribune as: "perhaps the hottest, most visually arresting company in Britain's design renaissance".
[1] In 1986, Suzy Menkes noted in The Times that although some of its designs were too extreme to sell well, it was highly influential: "[Bodymap's] ideas on body conscious dressing were freely taken up and absorbed into mainstream fashion".
Originally launched from a stall on Camden Market while they were students, it generated publicity quickly – helped by the fact that Stewart and Holah's graduation collection was bought by the prestigious independent South Molton Street fashion store Browns.
[9] One of BodyMap's most distinctive (and publicity generating) elements was its catwalk shows, which included outfit changes on the side of the runway in view of the audience and the designers' mothers acting as models.
The 1985 show for Barbie Takes a Trip Around Nature's Cosmic Curves – featuring cross-dressing models of all ages and sizes, latex wigs and exposed flesh – was reported to have left American buyers shocked.
[1] The excitement surrounding its shows was added to by the celebrities who appeared on the catwalk, including Boy George, Helen Terry, Marilyn, Leigh Bowery and Michael Clark.
[18] In 2013, BodyMap also featured in the ICA's launch events for Iain R. Webb's book on 1980s style and culture We're Not Here To Sell Clothes: The Making of BLITZ Fashion, with Holah and Stewart appearing in a panel discussion.