'The town adopted me as a 12-year-old immigrant'

Headshot of fashion designer Aitor Throup. He is looking right into the camera and stands behind a wardrobe of clothes. He is wearing a cherry-red puffer jacket zipped to the top and he has short black hair and short beard.Image source, Leonard Corfu
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Aitor Throup grew up in Burnley and says the town has inspired his work

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A new retrospective of Burnley artist Aitor Throup will be shown in his hometown this month to mark the end of the British Textile Biennial.

The British Textile Biennial (BTB) is an event staged in Lancashire every two years that displays the rich textile history of the UK and commissions artists to produce works inspired by the industry's past, present and future.

From The Moor, a retrospective exhibition looking at Aitor's designs, sculptures and drawings from the last 20 years will be shown at Burnley's Empire Theatre.

The Grade II listed theatre has been out of use since 1995 and considered at risk by The Theatres Trust.

Landscape shot of Throup standing inside the Burnley Empire Theatre. The background is dark and atmospheric and Throup stands wearing a black hoodie and trousers with an avant-garde garment underneath his hoodieImage source, Leo Corfu
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From The Moor will be shown at Burnley's Empire Theatre

Aitor Throup was born in the Argentinian capital of Buenos Aires before moving to Burnley in 1992.

He said he has "always been vocal" about his passion for the Lancashire town.

"The town adopted me as a 12-year-old immigrant and exposed me to a culture of aspiration, innovation and authenticity that has never left me.

"It was on the terraces of Burnley Football Club where my fascination with experimental clothing design was born.

"I am so grateful to the town and the football club for planting that seed of curiosity; and it's an honour to return to Burnley to share the results of my many explorations so far."

A still from The Hunger Games film. A group of actors stand wearing Throup's clothing. They're holding guns and dressed all in black.Image source, Lionsgate
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Aitor Throup has previously designed costumes for The Hunger Games film series

A second exhibition of Throup's sculptures and drawings will take place at Gallery 123.

The building originally housed the retail store where a young Throup first became inspired by the designs of Italian Massimo Osti - founder of clothing brands C.P. Company and Stone Island.

These two brands, known for their military-inspired jackets, would become synonymous with the "terrace casual" culture of football fans mainly in the north of England.

The iconic "Goggle hood" acted as a way to disguise ones identity from CCTV cameras whilst the colour of the jacket distances oneself from their team's colours.

Throup would also go on to collaborate with both brands - as well as projects working with Umbro.

Artists sketch of a collaborative work between CP Company and Aitor Throup. It shows a drawing of a person dressed in a green CP Company jacket sat down behind the wheel of a carImage source, Aitor Throup
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Throup has previously collaborated with Italian brand C.P. Company

From The Moor - A Retrospective of Aitor Throup's Imagination' is open 30 October to 2 November.

The secondary exhibition at Gallery 123 will open 20 October and run until 2 November.

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