Fashion meets Museums in these Stylish Exhibitions

Over the past couple of decades, luxury brands have been collaborating with museums and galleries worldwide to stage and sponsor shows. Now, these partnerships are becoming more sophisticated and thoughtful as houses such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Cartier and others have used these events to convey important messages, showcase their corporate social responsibility and discuss creativity and innovation.

Luxury brands are now increasingly likely to be holding exhibitions in Asia, a key market for the sector. Bvlgari Kaleidos: Colors, Cultures and Craft, the maison’s largest exhibition ever in Japan, has just opened at the National Art Center, Tokyo. Described as “a kaleidoscopic journey into its vibrant world of colours,” it showcases nearly 350 chromatic Bulgari masterpieces, from jewellery to contemporary art. “We’re proud to present this kaleidoscopic journey in Tokyo, a city that, like Bulgari, embraces the beauty of both tradition and innovation,” says Jean-Christophe Babin, Bulgari CEO. “Our long connection with Japan, a country that has long appreciated the artistry and precision behind our creations, makes this exhibition more special.”

Meanwhile, the Louis Vuitton Visionary Journeys immersive exhibition in Osaka coincides with the Osaka World Expo 2025 and celebrates 170 years of the house’s heritage and its deep cultural ties with Japan. It features more than 1,000 objects, including over 200 artefacts specific to Japan; the signature Trunkscape installation; the original 1897 Monogram canvas; and bespoke trunks by local artists.

Loro Piana chose Shanghai for its first exhibition, If You Know, You Know: Loro Piana’s Quest for Excellence, which took place earlier this year at the Museum of Art Pudong, and was billed not only as celebration of the brand’s centenary but as a tribute to its “deep, longstanding connection to China.” Elsewhere, jewellery brand Pomellato unveiled Art & Jewellery, its first retrospective of advertising photography at Fosun Foundation, the mixed-use exhibition space in Shanghai. Earlier this year, the Fondazione Valentino Garavani e Giammetti unveiled its new cultural space, PM23, in the historic centre of Rome. Rather than simply showcase pieces from its history, the debut exhibition, Horizons|Red, takes a more philosophical approach, exploring the colour red through art and fashion, offering a multifaceted perspective that frames it “as a force of symbolic and aesthetic power.”

Collaborations are also becoming deeper and more strategic. The Victoria & Albert Museum has staged several shows with luxury houses, including Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto. But the museum’s Fashion Gallery is being completely refurbished with the support of Burberry to become the Burberry Gallery, which is set to reopen in 2027. For the fashion house, the sponsorship “unites two centuries-old cultural icons with a shared legacy of heritage and innovation, and a commitment to championing creativity,” according to Joshua Schulman, the brand’s CEO, which, by the way, presented its latest Winter 2025 runway collection at Tate Britain. “This partnership allows us to share the V&A’s incredible collections in new and accessible ways and, with Burberry, support education and craftsmanship across the country,” says Tristram Hunt, director of the Victoria and Albert Museum.

While history and heritage make for an easy and obvious link between luxury brands and museums, both are also increasingly forward-looking, celebrating innovation and new talent in their partnerships. Few brands have such a well-known history as CHANEL, but the house is now also focusing on new creative talent. The CHANEL Culture Fund, for instance, “fosters a vibrant network of creators and innovators to advance the ideas that shape global culture.”

This summer it launched ARTS & CULTURE, a magazine celebrating the last five years of the house’s partnerships with artists and cultural institutions. As well as articles about artists, it covers portfolios by the winners of the CHANEL Next Prize. Meanwhile, Klára Hosnedlová’s monumental installation for the CHANEL Commission in the Hamburger Bahnhof features tapestries up to nine metres high exploring themes of home, utopia and everyday life within different political systems. Such contemporary events help luxury brands to reach younger audiences, which is essential for their future viability. Yes, it’s important to celebrate craftsmanship and promote heritage, but these concepts are well-established among consumers. Just as houses have teamed up with street fashion labels over the last few years, such as Louis Vuitton’s partnership with Supreme, they’re now working with modern art creators and contemporary galleries, exploiting both the economic and creative potential.

Working with galleries and museums also enables luxury brands to fulfil some of their corporate social responsibility initiatives. Gucci has just announced that it will partner with Tate to support the Tate Collective Producers programme, through Gucci Changemakers London, part of its global initiative that aims to “support industry change and to foster unity through community action,” while promoting the capital’s fashion and creative industries.

Over the next three years, Gucci’s support will enable more young people from youth groups and educational organisations in boroughs around Tate Modern and Tate Britain to benefit from a new training programme that includes monthly workshops, expert guest speakers and an increased number of paid opportunities. “Tate’s Collective Producers programme has not only helped the gallery engage new audiences but also provided the producers themselves with career pathways into the arts sector,” says Mark Miller, the Tate’s director of learning.

The Fondation d’entreprise Hermès combines philanthropy with a programme of exhibitions at two galleries in both Europe and Asia. It has four guiding themes, “the transmission of skills, the creation of works of art, the protection of the environment and the encouragement of gestures of solidarity,”  according to its President, Olivier Fournier. For instance, Le Forum, the foundation’s exhibition space in Tokyo, currently hosts a show of works from the FRAC Grand Large collection of art in Dunkirk, in which 13 artists explore the relationship between art and everyday life.

The latest partnerships even offer scope for technological innovation. L’Oréal’s work with the Louvre includes an exhibition, De Toutes Beautés!, a curated trail of more than 100 artworks from the museum’s permanent collection. Visitors are invited to explore how beauty has been represented, practised and redefined across cultures and civilisations, from Ancient Egypt to modern-day France. There’s also an innovation crossover: L’Oréal has funded a fractional CO₂ laser at the Louvre’s restoration centre, C2RMF. The same technology used in dermatological skincare is now being applied to restore delicate artworks damaged by pollution and the passage of time. 

The Grove Gallery is taking this trend in a new direction by displaying curated art collections in settings such as five-star hotels, Michelin-starred restaurants, private members’ clubs and international lifestyle events, including Fortnum & Mason, Harrods Aviation and the Monaco Grand Prix. “For the  venues, us as a gallery and the artists themselves, it’s a win-win,” says Jack Newell, Grove’s head of partnerships. “Our artists gain exposure, our partners gain cultural value, and together we bring art to audiences in inspiring new ways. We’re not interested in art being an afterthought or decorative filler; we want it to play an integral role in the overall experience the venue is offering. Collaboration is vital, he says. “It begins with a deep understanding of what the venue is trying to achieve, both aesthetically and experientially. From there, we collaborate closely to curate artwork that not only fits the space but enhances the brand’s story, drawing from our incredible pool of talent.”

These new collaborations with galleries and museums provide luxury brands with a new and exciting way of promoting their heritage, craftsmanship and creativity, alongside print and poster advertising. Not only does it give them more control than they have with social media activity, but it also offers greater engagement — however keen a shopper you might be, where else would you spend an hour or so immersed in a brand? As well as attracting new audiences, luxury houses can let prestigious galleries and celebrated museums do much of the heavy lifting when it comes to marketing. Stand by for more of it.