2026 is shaping up to be a fantastic year for design enthusiasts. From London to New York, museums and galleries are offering a fresh selection of couture collections celebrating legendary style and renowned fashion history. Whether you’re discovering the iconic designs of Elsa Schiaparelli at the V&A or stepping back in time at Tate Britain into the rebellious spirit of the 90s, consider your fashion calendar sorted for the next 12 months.
The Fashion Exhibitions to See in 2026
Words by
Alice Lambert
14th January 2026
We’re back with another unmissable selection of the best fashion exhibitions in 2026.
Women in Print: 150 Years of Liberty Textiles - The William Morris Gallery
Wiltshire Berry, designed by D Stoneley for Liberty, 1933, screen-printed Tana Lawn™ cotton, 1970s-1980s © Liberty Fabric Limited [1933].
Liberty is a name synonymous with British luxury. Now, an extensive exhibition at the William Morris Gallery will explore the house's evolution as a textile powerhouse and the history of Liberty fabric. Women in Print: 150 Years of Liberty Textiles will highlight the pivotal role and contributions of women textile designers whilst celebrating the 150th anniversary of the design house. With over 100 works, spanning garments, fabric, original designs, film and historic photographs, Women in Print celebrates the iconic patterns designed by the likes of Althea McNish, Susan Collier and Sarah Campbell and Lucienne Day, as well as lesser-known artists. From rare archival patterns to garments from the 1930s to today, the display aims to spotlight the women at the heart of Liberty’s creativity.
Tickets are free with admission to the gallery.
Running from now until 21 June 2026.
Terylene mini dress, Dollyrockers. Fabric designed by Pat Albeck for Liberty, c.1966 Credit: Liberty/William Morris Gallery.
Azzedine Alaïa and Christian Dior, Two Masters of Haute Couture - Azzedine Alaïa Fondation and La Galerie Dior
From left to right: ANDALOUSE Christian Dior, Spring/Summer 1955, Azzedine Alaïa Spring/Summer 2013 © Laziz Hamani
A collaboration between La Galerie Dior and Azzedine Alaïa Fondation, this dual exhibition is offering a unique introspective into the work of two iconic French designers with an interwoven history. Azzedine Alaïa and Christian Dior, Two Masters of Haute Couture housed in the Azzedine Alaïa Fondation will explore how Alaïa’s fashion legacy was continuously influenced by the visionary style of Dior and how his lifelong admiration for Dior’s architectural silhouettes echoes through his own work. With nearly 70 designs from both houses, the exhibition stages the works of the two designers side by side, offering a stylistic dialogue between the timeless couture of two fashion icons. Alaïa was also an avid collector of vintage fashion, including his careful preservation of more than 500 Dior designs. Forming the second part of this exhibition, Azzedine Alaïa’s Dior Collection will be on display at La Galerie Dior, with a stunning selection of 140 Dior pieces.
Tickets for La Galerie Dior are €16 or €12 upon presentation of a ticket from the Azzedine Alaïa Fondation.
Running from November 2025 - May 2026.
Tickets for Azzedine Alaïa Fondation are €11 or €7 upon presentation of a ticket from La Galerie Dior.
Running from December 2025 to May 2026.
From left to right: Azzedina Alaïa Autumn/Winter 2008. SECRET, Christian Dior, Autumn/Winter 1952 © Laziz Hamani
Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art - The V&A
Schiaparelli Haute Couture Fall Winter 2024 Look 26. Photo © Giovanni Giannoni. Photo courtesy Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris.
The V&A is staging the first ever exhibition devoted purely to the surrealist and eccentric works of the formidable designer, Elsa Schiaparelli. Spanning the house's origins to its present day designs under the eye of creative director Daniel Roseberry, Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art is a window into the creative world of one of fashion's most iconic innovators. The exhibition features over 200 objects that trace the Italian designer's ingenious creativity and radical exploration of fashion, including the ‘Skeleton’ and ‘Tears’ dresses, the Shoe hat created with Salvador Dalí and Bella Hadid’s iconic lung dress. It also references the popularity of Schiaparelli’s designs for film and theatre productions and features the works of Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau and Man Ray.
Tickets will be available soon via the V&A or free for V&A members.
Running from 28 March - 8 November 2026.
Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry Long sheath gown, Matador Couture collection Haute couture fall-winter 2021–2022 Wool crepe. Gilded brass necklace adorned with rhinestones in the shape of lungs. Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris.
Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style - The King’s Gallery
Queen Elizabeth II on Princess Margaret’s Wedding Day, Cecil Beaton, 1960 © Cecil Beaton / Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Exploring the fashion legacy of Queen Elizabth II, The Kings Gallery is hosting the largest collection of the late monarch's wardrobe, documenting clothing worn through each decade of her life. Marking the centenary of her birth, the exhibition will feature surviving couture from the Queen’s childhood, as well as both her wedding and coronation dresses, alongside evening wear and off-duty clothing and an extensive collection of accessories. Offering rare behind-the-scenes insight into how the monarch is dressed, the exhibition brings together design sketches, fabric samples and handwritten correspondence, as well as pieces by three world-renowned designers: Erdem Moralıoğlu, Richard Quinn and Christopher Kane.
Tickets are on sale now for £22.
Running from 10 April 2026 to 18 October 2026.
Evening gown, Norman Hartnell, 1957. Displayed in the Green Drawing Room at Windsor Castle. © Royal Collection Enterprises Limited 2025 | Royal Collection Trust. Photographer: Paul Bulley.
Costume Art - The Met
“Corset Anatomia” ensemble, Renata Buzzo, spring/summer 2025; Courtesy Renata Buzzo © The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
For fashion enthusiasts, the first Monday in May presents the anticipated event of the year: The Met Gala - bringing together a host of iconic designers and famous faces to celebrate the continued impact and legacy of couture. This year, The Costume Institute's annual show, titled Costume Art, will be hosted in the new, nearly 12,000-square-foot Conde M. Nast Galleries. Focusing primarily on Western art, curator Andrew Bolton’s vision for the inaugural exhibition in the permanent gallery is to examine “the centrality of the dressed body in the museum’s vast collection”, juxtaposing objects from the Museum's vast 5,000-year collection with historical and contemporary garments from The Costume Institute. The perfect excuse for a stateside visit to see the unmissable exhibition and explore its fabulous new home.
Tickets are free with museum admission.
Running from May 10 2026 - January 10 2027.
Terracotta statuette of Nike, the personification of victory, Greek, late 5th century BCE; Rogers Fund, 1907 © The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Marilyn Monroe: A Portrait - The National Portrait Gallery
Marilyn Monroe, by Cecil Beaton, bromide print, 1956, Collection National Portrait Gallery.
While this exhibition is a little more fashion-adjacent than others, we felt it deserved a spot on our list given Monroe’s undeniable fashion icon status. Celebrating the Hollywood star’s 100th Birthday, Marilyn Monroe: A Portrait will traverse the life, career and legacy of the Some Like it Hot actress through the work of some of the greatest photographers and artists of their time. The exhibition aims to capture not only her magnetic screen presence but also her enduring influence on style, beauty and popular culture. Displaying works from Andy Warhol, Pauline Boty and Marlene Dumas and photographers including Cecil Beaton, Philippe Halsman, Eve Arnold and many more, the collection will also include Monroe’s personal belongings to give a little more context to the woman in front of the camera.
Tickets will be available soon.
Running from 4 June - 6 September 2026.
The Only Blonde in the World, 1963, Pauline Boty, © The estate of Pauline Boty, Photo Tate
The 90s - The Tate Britain
Juergen Teller, Young Pink Kate, London, 1998 © Juergen Teller.
The rise of 90s nostalgia is rampant as we yearn for a decade filled with vibrant pop culture, music and fashion. Now the Tate Britain is taking us back in time to celebrate the beloved decade that shook up British culture. Curated by former British Vogue Editor-in Chief Edward Enniful OBE, the exhibition documents how a new generation emerged from recession and the shadow of the Cold War, ready to break boundaries and redefine style. Fashion is front and centre in the exhibition, with Vivienne Westwood’s punk-infused tailoring, Alexander McQueen’s theatrical reinventions and Hussein Chalayan’s visionary silhouettes. The exhibition also features iconic photography from industry behemoths like Juergen Teller, Nick Knight and Corinne Day, as well as works by Damien Hirst, Gillian Wearing and Yinka Shonibare. It’s set to be an unmissable display and a portrait of Britain at its most daring.
Tickets will be available soon and the exhibition is free for members.
Running from 8 October 2026 - 14 February 2027.
