Some of the top fashion museum exhibitions that should be on your radar
By BETH MUNRO-MORRIS — arts@theaggie.org
Whether you’re mapping out stops on your summer travels, planning a sophisticated date or simply seeking a rainy-day refuge, the fashion world awaits behind inside museum walls. Fashion capitals like New York, London and Paris showcase art, culture and identity through the lens of dress. Here are some of the standout fashion exhibitions of 2025.
“Superfine: Tailoring Black Style”
After the annual Met Gala spectacle lit up social media with celebrity interviews and red carpet highlights, the show continued inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art. “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style” carries the archived looks from this year’s gala, its theme a tribute to Black fashion and identity. Spanning 300 years of history, the show explores the concept of Black dandyism and the intersection between African and European influences. The exhibit is organised into 12 thematic sections, some of which are titled: Champion, Respectability, Heritage and Beauty. The 2025 Met Gala exhibition transcends aesthetics and exemplifies how to regain agency through the power of style.
“Africa fashion”
Following its debut at London’s Victoria and Albert Museum, “Africa Fashion” has found new life at the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago. Building off of the original exhibition, clothing, among them is a Tunisian gown previously modelled by former First Lady Michelle Obama. Its accompanying exhibit “Connecting Threads: Africa Fashion in Chicago,” zooms in on the African influence on the city’s fashion scene. Expect a dynamic mix of textiles, garments from local designers, interactive installations and panel discussions.
“Louvre Couture”
The Musee du Louvre has long been a cathedral of classical art, but this summer, it opened its doors to the world of couture. The Louvre’s first-ever fashion exhibition, “Louvre Couture” is as elegant and enigmatic as it sounds. Though curators are keeping many details under wraps, it’s rumoured that iconic archival pieces, specifically Jean Paul Gaultier’s 2008 Autumn/Winter collection makes an appearance. The 65 couture looks and 30 accessories showcase some of the best techniques employed in the decorative arts. From Byzantine tapestries to Second Empire décor, pieces are carefully placed within the galleries of the Department of Decorative Arts, offering an aesthetic dialogue between fashion and historical artifacts. With garments on loan from some of the world’s most iconic fashion houses, the exhibition rightfully earns its title as a “first-class museum.”
“Splash: A Century of Swimming and Style”
From the bold Baywatch bikini to the barely-there Speedos of the 1980s, the Design Museum in London is making a splash with its dive into a century of swimwear. This exhibition charts the evolution of aquatic fashion through over 200 pieces — from the first ever bikini, to Olympic swim gear and high-concept runway interpretations. Beyond the underwater world of fashion, the museum offers a rich selection of displays celebrating style. Don’t miss the museum’s free companion show “Future Observatory: Tomorrow’s Wardrobe,” which explores the next wave of sustainable and tech-infused fashion — fitting for a city famed for its street style and sartorial innovation.
“Leigh Bowery!”
London’s fashion influence extends east, with the Tate Modern hosting a dazzling tribute to the genre-defying designer Leigh Bowery. Though Bowery passed away at just 33, his multifaceted career is celebrated in a show that fuses his work in photography, costume, video and live performance, self-titled, “Leigh Bowery.” This installation is more than an exhibition, it’s a full-blown celebration of boundary-pushing creativity. With fashion at the intersection of drag, body art and pop culture, Bowery’s work embraces the unconventional and offers a fluid approach to identity through dress.
This season, fashion goes beyond the runway. Museums around the world are proving that style is not just something to wear — it’s something to witness, interpret and experience. So dive into culture and experience something new.
Written by: Beth Munro-Morris — arts@theaggie.org
