The Fashion And Art Exhibitions To Have On Your Radar

While fashion week will always hold dominion over the industry’s social calendar, this year’s circuit has a new influence. The most stylish crowds aren’t simply gathering outside the staple runway events; they’re also convening in exhibition halls, galleries, palazzos and museums for a different kind of show season.

They might not involve a front row full of A-list talent, but the most exciting openings are still difficult to secure tickets for, which is why travelers are planning long weekends around access, months in advance. From London to Paris, Antwerp to New York, this year’s defining exhibitions span fashion, art, photography and design, drawing visitors across continents into these immersive worlds.

Frieze London and Frieze Masters return to The Regent’s Park for four days, two fairs and almost 300 exhibitors from 48 countries. A must-attend on the collector’s calendar, this year’s fair includes a new curated section led by the director of the Inside-Out Art Museum in Beijing, Carol Yinghua Lu. The Code Universe: Artists Interrogating a Post-Digital Age brings together artists from the late 1970s to the present day, examining how popular culture is produced, circulated and consumed. It’s part of Frieze’s wider commitment to discovery and dialogue, making it a destination for cultural exchange and setting the tone for the discussions that will inevitably take place under the tent.

On from October 14-18, 2026

Let’s face it: we’re all still obsessed with the ’90s. It’s the decade that gave us minimalist style, supermodels and grunge. At Tate Britain, industry veteran Edward Enninful OBE takes a look back at the decade that defined the early years of his career at i-D Magazine, exploring art and fashion in a British context. The exhibition takes visitors through an era during which many artists and designers were questioning identity and class, from Alexander McQueen’s subversive tailoring to Tracey Emin’s provocative neon works. For the fashion crowd, there’s plenty to marvel – not least garments by John Galliano, Vivienne Westwood, Oswald Boateng and Hussein Chalayan.

On now until February 14, 2027

Pop Art’s influence on fashion is well-documented, from the Marilyn Monroe-motif dresses in Gianni Versace’s spring/summer 1991 collection to Tom Ford’s Whaam!-embellished gowns of 2013. The new retrospective of Roy Lichtenstein’s oeuvre at the Whitney Museum will likely appeal to a new generation of designers and fashion-lovers, too. Known for his bold lines and bright colors, Lichtenstein is considered one of the seminal artists of the 20th century and a defining figure in the Pop Art movement. The exhibition spans six decades of his career, from the early 1940s to the 1990s, bringing together 130 works that explore mass media, image circulation, duplication and popular culture – themes that have only increased in relevance in recent years.

On now until May 10, 2027

Legendary art collector and fashion muse Peggy Guggenheim is the focus of this traveling exhibition opening at the Royal Academy of Arts in November. It reunites 80 artworks showcased at her progressive – and at times controversial – London gallery, Guggenheim Jeune, between 1938 and 1939. Expect to see key pieces of abstract art and Surrealism by the artists she championed, such as Vasily Kandinsky, Salvador Dalí, Barbara Hepworth and Piet Mondrian, alongside a closer look into Guggenheim’s remarkable legacy, her role in shaping London’s art scene, and the early years she spent amassing a now world-famous art collection.

On from November 21, 2026 to 14 March 14, 2027

The relationship between fashion and art is central to one of New York’s buzziest exhibitions of the year. The Costume Institute’s latest blockbuster, Costume Art, explores the dialogue between fashion and artistic expression, examining how clothing functions as cultural artefacts rather than mere objects of consumption. It pairs approximately 200 garments and accessories, with 200 artworks drawn from across the museum’s collection. Among the hero pieces are Madame Grès gowns, Vivienne Westwood designs, Alexander McQueen creations and Issey Miyake’s incredible A-POC garments. The Met Gala might dominate headlines, but the exhibition itself remains the real attraction.

On until January 10, 2027

Fashion photography has always been one of the industry’s most powerful forms of storytelling, and few contemporary photographers have shaped visual culture more than Rafael Pavarotti. His vivid use of color, movement and light has touched modern luxury campaigns everywhere, including for Dior, Balmain, Maison Margiela and Ferragamo. His signature saturated hues, sculptural posing, luminous skin and stunning treatment of Black beauty have canonized his work. This major exhibition dedicated to his work offers a rare opportunity to see more than 200 images, charting his rise to fame, through to legendary portraits of Beyoncé, Harry Styles and Rihanna.

On until May 2, 2027

In London, the V&A Museum celebrates one of fashion’s original disruptors by revisiting the legacy of Elsa Schiaparelli, the Italian designer who transformed surrealism into couture and forever blurred the line between fashion and art. Schiaparelli was notorious for visual provocation. Lobster dresses, shoe hats and collaborations with artists such as Salvador Dalí helped establish a blueprint that continues to influence contemporary fashion.

Timing is everything for this opening. Under current creative director Daniel Roseberry, Schiaparelli has become one of the most culturally influential luxury houses in the world, dressing everyone from Hollywood royalty to contemporary art-world provocateurs. The exhibition serves as a fantastic reminder that some of fashion’s most modern ideas are, in fact, decades old.

On until November 8, 2026

Meet The Icons: The Designers Who Shaped Fashion

In The Know: Europe’s Most Stylish City Breaks For 2026