If you're passionate about the world of fashion, this is a golden moment to lose yourself in it. exhibitions, retrospectives and major shows Scattered across museums around the world. From Spanish footwear inspired by Balenciaga to Cartier's high jewelry, and including sportswear, fashion photography, and the psychology of clothing, the cultural agenda is on fire.
Next, we will review, in great detail, the most interesting and varied fashion exhibitions which you can visit, both in Spain and in the rest of Europe, the United States, and Japan. Get ready because there's haute couture, the history of regional costumes, fashion shows transformed into total spectacles, icons like Versace, Armani, and Rick Owens, and even journeys through the mind via clothing.
Balenciaga and Spanish footwear: a high-level dialogue
Organized by the Spanish Footwear Industries Federation (FICE) together with ICEX, the exhibition “Balenciaga | Shoes from Spain Tribute” It proposes a very particular tribute: the Spanish shoe pays homage to the work and figure of the great master Cristóbal Balenciaga.
This exhibition, which represents the first monographic exhibition dedicated to Balenciaga in ItalyIt brings together 25 original pieces by the fashion designer, brought from Spanish museums and private collections, and another 25 creations from national footwear brands that engage in dialogue with them.
Among the participating firms are such renowned houses as Alhamas, Alohas, Casteller, Chie Mihara, Defloresyfloreros, Flabelus, Gaimo, Hispanitas, Kanna, Lottusse, Magnanni, Magrit, Martinelli, Mascaró, Pedro García, Pedro Miralles, Pertini, Pikolinos, Pitillos, Pons Quintana, Pretty Ballerinas, RAS, Ria Menorca and Zinda, a true X-ray of the contemporary Spanish shoe industry.
The Balenciaga pieces on display include from the thirties to the late sixtiesWith a special focus on its cocktail and evening designs, the house's celebrated "fantasy" line. Starting with these iconic dresses, each brand imagines and creates the "perfect shoe" to accompany them, reinterpreting the designer's legacy without resorting to literal copying.
Fashion shows as a total spectacle: from Parisian salons to the digital age
Another essential exhibition spans more than a century of history of the fashion shows as cultural, media, and artistic phenomenaDivided into four rooms, the exhibition analyzes how a simple showing in a private salon has been transformed into a global, hybrid, and digital spectacle.
The tour features recreations of mythical houses such as Balenciaga, Chanel, Dior, Gucci or Louis Vuitton, along with audiovisual material, stage designs, original invitations and graphic documents that help to understand the evolution of the catwalk.
The exhibition begins with the first intimate fashion shows in Parisian salons at the beginning of the 20th century, and continues through the innovative Théâtre de la Mode of 1945, and it focuses on key milestones: the rise of prêt-à-porter, the influence of subcultures in the sixties and seventies, or the global phenomenon of supermodels in the nineties.
It also covers the gigantic productions of the late 20th and early 2000s, with emblematic examples of Chanel and Alexander McQueenas well as the radical stagings of Viktor & Rolf or Martin Margiela, which turned the parade into a true performance.
The last part focuses on the digital era and hybrid formatsDriven by the pandemic: from Loewe's "Show in a Box" to Balenciaga's collaboration with The Simpsons. The message is clear: today, the fashion show is a total work of art where architecture, choreography, technology, narrative, and political discourse converge.
Fashion and psychoanalysis: desires, fears and identity
At the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, the exhibition “Dress, Dreams, and Desire: Fashion and Psychoanalysis” is presented as the The first major exhibition to thoroughly explore the link between fashion and theories of the unconscious, from Freud to the present.
Curated by Valerie Steele, it brings together nearly one hundred pieces by creators such as Chanel, Alexander McQueen, Thierry Mugler, Versace, Yohji Yamamoto, Moschino, Rick Owens or Undercoverand uses these garments to talk about desire, death drive, body image, dreams and identity construction.
The tour begins with Freud's personal style and the early debates on Fashion, sexuality and femininityMoving through the 1920s, 1930s and 1950s, when psychoanalysis clashed and engaged with sexual liberation, traditional gender roles and sexual dissidence.
The exhibition organizes its spaces thematically: sections dedicated to desire, dream archetypes, the skin as a boundary between interior and exterior, and the tension between aesthetic pleasure and psychological conflict. The theories of Lacan and Anzieu They serve as a conceptual basis for reinterpreting iconic garments.
The closing is dedicated to the Non-binary fashion and new ways of performing identity through the body, highlighting how clothing can simultaneously be armor, disguise, mirror, and a tool for personal transformation.
A summer of fashion in museums: Spain, the United Kingdom and Europe
If you're thinking of planning your summer trips around exhibitions, you're in luck: there's a veritable tasting menu of haute couture, sneakers, tradition, jewelry and photography, both in Spain and in the rest of the continent.
“Beyond fashion: 15 years of Harper's Bazaar Spain” – Madrid
At the National Museum of Decorative Arts in Madrid, the exhibition “Beyond fashion: 15 years of Harper's Bazaar Spain” celebrates the role of the magazine as visual laboratory of photography, graphic design and typography in the current publishing landscape.
Curated by journalist Mario Ximénez, the exhibition underscores how Harper's Bazaar has become a key platform for aesthetic experimentation, fitting perfectly with the museum's motto, "Designing our environment", and championing fashion as one of the decorative arts of the present.
The exhibition can be visited on the 4th floor of the museum until June 22, 2025 and features free entrance, one more incentive to come and discover covers, editorials and images that marked an era.
“Fashion & Interiors. A Gendered Affair” – Antwerp
At the ModeMuseum (MoMu) in Antwerp, “Fashion & Interiors. A Gendered Affair” delves into the historical relationship between clothing and interior design, with a special focus on gender readings associated with both.
The starting point is the 19th century, when people adorned both their bodies and their homes with abundant ornamentation, and gradually we arrive at the functionalist reaction of architects such as Adolf Loos or Le Corbusier, who advocated for sobriety and utility.
The exhibition, open until August 3, 2025, shows how, despite these minimalist trends, many contemporary designers—including Ann Demeulemeester and Raf Simons– They have continued to explore the links between fashion and interior design, questioning the boundaries between the two fields.
“Roots: One Hundred Years of the Regional Costume Exhibition” – Madrid
The Costume Museum in Madrid commemorates the centenary of the 1925 Regional Costume Exhibition with “Roots”, an exhibition that recovers that pioneering milestone in the study and conservation of traditional Spanish clothing.
The original exhibition brought together more than 12.500 pieces including textiles, clothing, jewelry and ethnographic objects, a monumental archive of the country's cultural heritage. A century later, “Raíces” revisits that legacy, recovering some of the historical pieces and combining them with a contemporary perspective.
The exhibition explores the evolution of regional dress and its relationship to contemporary fashion, identity, and intangible heritage, incorporating documents, audiovisual materials, interactive displays, and meticulously curated exhibits. It is curated by Laura Jiménez Izquierdo and coordinated by María del Mar Belver García, and can be visited until October 19, 2025.
“Rick Owens, Temple of Love” – Paris
At the Palais Galliera in Paris, preparations are underway for “Rick Owens, Temple of Love”. first major retrospective dedicated entirely to the avant-garde designerFrom his beginnings in Los Angeles to his most recent collections, the museum reviews a career marked by the use of recycled materials and a palette dominated by blacks and the famous "dust" gray.
The exhibition brings together more than 100 silhouettes, personal documents, videos and installations, and focuses on the creative and personal relationship with his wife Michèle Lamya key figure in his aesthetic universe. Outside the museum, the statues covered with fabrics and the concrete sculptures in the garden, inspired by his furniture line, expand the experience.
The exhibition, open from June 28, 2025 to January 4, 2026, is conceived as a true “temple” dedicated to love, beauty and diversity, where the entire museum becomes a declaration of intent.
“Balenciaga. The Subtleties of a Dialogue” – Getaria
The Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum in Getaria proposes a fascinating face-to-face encounter in “Balenciaga. The Subtleties of a Dialogue”, where for the first time they confront the founder's creations with those of Demna, creative director of the house since 2015.
Through 31 pieces, the exhibition traces a dialogue between tradition and avant-gardeThe exhibition highlights similarities in silhouettes, volumes, the use of black, and a certain understanding of the body's architecture. It can be visited until January 11, 2026.
“Sneaker Evolution” – Waalwijk
At the Schoenenkwartier in Waalwijk, “Sneaker Evolution” focuses on the history of sneakers, from the invention of the vulcanized sole in the 19th century even cutting-edge developments such as 3D printing and upcycling.
Featuring some 150 iconic models, the exhibition shows how athletic footwear has driven technical advancements, sporting successes, and cultural revolutions. Special attention is also given to the sustainability, alternative materials and new production processesThe exhibition can be visited from May 24, 2025 until April 2026.
“Gianni Versace Retrospective” – London
After passing through NetherlandsPoland, Germany, Sweden and Spain, the major retrospective “Gianni Versace Retrospective” lands at Arches London Bridge with the The largest vintage Versace designs ever shown in the UK.
The exhibition features 450 original pieces that trace the exuberant, baroque, and ultra-sensual imagery of the house, with special emphasis on the iconic looks from the 80s and 90s which marked a turning point in the image of sensuality and female power. The exhibition opens on July 16, 2025, with a closing date yet to be confirmed.
“Worth, inventing haute couture” – Paris
The Petit Palais in Paris is dedicating, for the first time, a major exhibition to the House of Worth and its founder, Charles Frederick Worth, recognized as the father of Haute CoutureUnder the title “Worth, inventing haute couture”, the museum exhibits more than 400 bespoke pieces, including dresses, coats and paintings.
The sample allows us to follow the multi-generational history of the Worth saga It offers a unique glimpse into the lives of the European elite of the time, while also explaining the emergence of couture fashion as we understand it today. It can be visited until September 7, 2025.
“Say Yes – Trends in internationale trouwmode” – Rotterdam
At the Wereldmuseum Rotterdam, “Say Yes – Trends in internationale trouwmode” addresses the bridal fashion from a global and contemporary perspectiveThe exhibition brings together designs by Zuhair Murad, Mart Visser, Gucci, Bas Kosters and others, along with accessories and jewelry.
The exhibition focuses on issues such as personal style, diversity, sustainability, and cultural connection In current wedding fashion, demonstrating that getting married can also be an act of self-expression and a dialogue between traditions. It remains open until October 26, 2025.
“40+ years of Stijl” – Brussels
At the Mode & Kant Museum in Brussels, “40+ years of Stijl” pays tribute to the Stijl boutique and its founder, Sonja Noël, a pioneer in establishing the Dansaert neighborhood as the creative epicenter of Belgian fashion since 1984.
The exhibition, curated by his daughter Aja Noël, presents more than sixty silhouettes from the store's archive and underscores de Stijl's role as launching platform for visionary designers like Dries Van Noten or Martin Margiela. The exhibition, which Noël herself describes as an emotional and educational project, will be open until January 11, 2026.
“Rococo Reboot!” – Hasselt
The Modemuseum in Hasselt offers a contemporary take on “Rococo Reboot!” 18th-century Rococo styleVisitors can see original period pieces alongside current fashion and art inspired by that ornamental and theatrical language.
The exhibition includes sensory experiences and reconstructions of men's fashion using artificial intelligence, in addition to the celebrated “Hidden Portraits” by the artist Volker Hermeswhich engage with the ideas of identity, masks, and visual excess. The exhibition will be open until February 22, 2026.
“Giorgio Armani Privé 2005-2025” – Milan
At the Armani/Silos space in Milan, “Giorgio Armani Privé 2005-2025, Twenty Years of Haute Couture” celebrates two decades of haute couture from the Italian house with a a selection of 150 pieces chosen by Armani himself.
The exhibition highlights the designer's understated, refined, and timeless aesthetic, as well as his mastery of tailoring and silhouette construction, always far removed from the fleeting whims of ephemeral trends. For the first time, all these creations, originally presented in Paris, are on display in Milan and will be open until December 28.
“Cartier” – London
The Victoria and Albert Museum is hosting an exhibition dedicated to Cartier, focusing on the history, imagery and cultural weight of the mythical French jewelry house350 jewels and objects are on display, including tiaras, brooches and rings, from museums, private collections and the British royal family itself.
Among the star pieces are Queen Elizabeth II's Williamson Pink Diamond brooch, the tiara worn by Rihanna, and Grace Kelly's engagement ring. The exhibition not only revels in glamour but also examines the heritage, cultural influences, and Cartier's close relationship with the British royaltyIt can be visited until November 16, 2025.
“Wax” – Paris
The Musée de l'Homme dedicates its “Wax” exhibition to the career of printed cotton known as wax, a fabric that we usually associate with Africa but whose history spans three continents.
The journey begins with its origins in Indonesia, with batik techniques, continues with the industrialization of weaving in Europe, and culminates with its establishment in West and Central Africa, where wax has become a symbol of identity, business and shared history.
The exhibition also addresses current debates on cultural appropriation and colonial legacyThe exhibition also dedicates a space to the "Nanas Benz" of Togo, businesswomen who made their fortune in the wax trade in the 1960s and contributed to the popularization of brands like Vlisco. Open until September 7, 2025, it also explores the role of wax in contemporary fashion, art, and design.
“S'habiller en artiste, l'artiste et le vêtement” – Lens
At the Louvre-Lens, the exhibition “S'habiller en artiste, l'artiste et le vêtement” analyzes how Artists have built their public image through clothingThrough paintings, sculptures and textiles from different eras, ways of dressing "like an artist" are outlined.
Among the highlights are several self-portraits by Rembrandt playing with different outfits, three dresses by Yves Saint Laurent inspired by the history of art and works by surrealists like Salvador Dalí, always attentive to the performative power of clothing. The exhibition can be visited until July 21.
“Au fil de l'or” – Paris
The Musée du Quai Branly presents “Au fil de l'or”, an exhibition that revolves around the encounter between gold and textiles in different cultures of the world. On display are kaftans, saris, kimonos and embroideries from the Maghreb, the Middle East, India, China or Japan, all of them adorned with gold threads and foil.
The exhibition also includes fourteen Haute Couture creations by the Chinese designer Guo PeiAmong them is the legendary yellow dress Rihanna wore to the 2015 Met Gala, a piece that has become an instant icon of recent visual culture. “Au fil de l'or” can be visited until July 6.
Dior, Azzedine Alaïa and the collector's gaze
This autumn, La Galerie Dior and the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation join forces to present a double exhibition that illuminates the figure of Alaïa as a passionate collector of DiorTwo houses, two visions of luxury - one more theatrical and the other more austere and artisanal - connect through the same love for the perfect cut.
Curated by Olivier Saillard, the exhibition at La Galerie Dior revisits the history of the maison through some one hundred Dior pieces from the private collection that Alaïa discreetly assembled over the years, comprising around 600 house models.
At the same time, the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation is exhibiting some thirty Dior creations, collected by Alaïa himself, alongside a similar number of his own works. The result is a dialogue that reveals how the influence of the inventor of the New Look It seeps into the volumes, proportions and lines of the Tunisian fashion designer.
The exhibition also brings back personal memories, such as Alaïa's brief stint working at the Dior house in 1956, when he closely observed the couturier's obsession with proportions and the famous "baton" he used in atelier tests as a tool for technical and visual control.
Photography and fashion: from Annie Leibovitz to Helmut Newton
In Spain, the Marta Ortega Pérez Foundation organizes “Wonderland” in A Coruña. Annie Leibovitz's first major retrospective in our countryThe exhibition focuses largely on his fashion photography. It traces his career from his beginnings at Rolling Stone—with intimate portraits of Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Grace Slick, Mick Jagger, and Keith Richards—to his iconic images for magazines, campaigns, and covers.
An essential part of the tour is dedicated to his fashion work, much of it never before seen by the general public, where one can appreciate how constructs complex visual narratives based on famous characters such as Demi Moore, Leonardo DiCaprio, Michael Jackson or Queen Elizabeth II. Marta Ortega has especially highlighted Leibovitz's ability to portray women of all ages with singular dignity and beauty.
Alongside the exhibition, a book is being published that pays tribute to Leibovitz through more than twenty illustrated interviews with figures such as Bruce Springsteen, Patti Smith, Tina Brown, Anna Wintour, Penélope Cruz, Angelina Jolie, Tom Ford, Gloria Steinem or Natalia Vodianova, creating an intimate portrait of the photographer.
Also in A Coruña, the Marta Ortega Paz Foundation, together with the Helmut Newton Foundation, presents “Fact and Fiction”, focused on the life and work of photographer Helmut NewtonThe exhibition brings together a carefully curated selection of his most recognizable images, including the famous "big nudes" and portraits of David Bowie, Charlotte Rampling, Naomi Campbell, Yves Saint Laurent, Elsa Peretti, and Karl Lagerfeld.
The exhibition also incorporates intimate videos of Newton working, conversations with his wife and recordings of his childhood, as well as series of urban landscapes - Paris, Monte Carlo, Las Vegas - that were a constant source of inspiration for his imagery charged with eroticism, power and theatricality.
Fashion, history and cities: Barcelona, Milan, London, Kyoto…
In Spain, the exhibition “Balenciaga and Haute Couture in Barcelona” analyzes how the Catalan city became one of the great centers of luxury couture Since the beginning of the 20th century, it has been in constant dialogue with Paris and supported by a very powerful textile industry.
The exhibition recalls the crucial role of fashion designers and houses such as Pedro Rodríguez, Asunción Bastida, Manuel Pertegaz, Santa Eulalia or The Floating Dock, as well as the impact of milestones such as the International Exhibition of 1929 or the calls for the Exhibition of the Art of Dress and the Salon of Creations from 1935 onwards.
Cristóbal Balenciaga settled in Barcelona that same year, establishing himself as one of the leading names in Spanish haute couture. The Civil War interrupted his plans, but also offered him the opportunity to make the definitive move to Paris. After the war, both Balenciaga and Catalan fashion resumed their activity with renewed vigor.
In 1940 the Haute Couture CooperativeThe exhibition, spearheaded by Pedro Rodríguez, Manuel Pertegaz, Asunción Bastida, Santa Eulalia, and El Dique Flotante, provided a crucial boost to the sector. The current exhibition, produced by the Cristóbal Balenciaga Foundation and the Antoni de Montpalau Textile Collection, brings together pieces from both collections to showcase the quality of Barcelona's couture and the influence of the master from Getaria on all of them.
Internationally, Milan hosts the exhibition “Juergen Teller: I Need to Live” at the Triennale Milano, with around a thousand works spanning from the nineties to the presentTeller, one of the most influential photographers in fashion and advertising, presents here both personal works and editorial and campaign commissions.
The exhibition alternates iconic images with recent series, and includes videos and installations that reinforce the idea of an autobiographical universe, full of humor, fragility, and a sometimes unsettling realism. The title alludes to the value of being alive and the celebration of existence, a theme that runs through all his work.
In Paris, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs has programmed “Fashion and Sport, from one podium to another”, which examines the links between sportswear and fashion With over 450 garments, accessories, and graphic materials, the exhibition shows how sporty comfort has completely colonized urban fashion, giving rise to phenomena like athleisure luxury.
At the same museum, “Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses” was presented, dedicated to the Dutch designer who fuses artisanal processes with the most advanced digital technologies. With nearly one hundred haute couture pieces, contemporary artworks, and design objects, the exhibition invites… Rethinking the role of the body, space, and the future of fashion on a changing planet, mixing skeletons, fossils and organic structures.
In London, Tate Britain is exhibiting “Sargent and Fashion”, focusing on how John Singer Sargent used clothing as an essential tool for building the character and presence of your modelsNearly 60 works showcase his talent as a true stylist, arranging garments and textures to achieve maximum visual and psychological impact.
Also in Milan, the Palazzo Reale hosts “From the Heart to the Hands: Dolce & Gabbana”, an immersive tour through the a luxurious, sensual and deeply Italian world of the firm. The exhibition delves into the creative process of Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, and connects their collections with the popular traditions, gastronomy, music, architecture and geography of the country.
At the Musée Yves Saint Laurent in Paris, “Yves Saint Laurent: Transparencies, the Power of Materials” explores the designer’s pioneering use of gauze, lace and tulle since the sixtiesThe exhibition features 40 garments, including milestones such as the See-Through Blouse - the first topless blouse in modern fashion - or the Nude Dress in black chiffon, accompanied by sketches, photographs and works by contemporary artists.
At the MET in New York, “Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion” uses technologies such as artificial intelligence, video animation, and soundscapes to to sensorially reactivate some 250 historical garments that can no longer be touched or manipulated. During the tour, the pieces “awaken” through projections, sounds, smells and movement simulations, inviting reflection on the fragility, ephemerality and cyclical nature of fashion.
The Kunsthalle München in Munich is hosting “Viktor & Rolf: Fashion Statements”, an explosive selection of 100 creations by the Dutch duo who have taken their theatrical looks to concerts, fashion shows, ballets and operas -with clients such as Madonna, Lady Gaga or Doja Cat-. Videos, sketches, perfumes like Spicebomb and Flowerbomb, and porcelain dolls dressed in haute couture complete a journey that celebrates excess and irony.
In Florence, the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum is dedicating a major exhibition to the career of the so-called "Shoemaker to the Stars," reviewing his creative and business milestones through nine thematic sections that cover everything from his beginnings in Hollywood to his experiments with materials, color, and foot anatomy.
In London, the Victoria and Albert South Kensington is preparing “Naomi: In Fashion”, an exhibition focused on the career of Naomi Campbell One of the most influential models in history. Dresses, photographs, and videos showcase her impact on fashion culture, her power on the catwalk, and her relationships with designers and key figures like Nelson Mandela.
Finally, the KYOCERA Art Museum in Kyoto presents “Gucci Cosmos,” which reviews a century of the Italian fashion house's history, bringing into dialogue the Gucci archive in Florence with artisanal traditions and Japanese innovationThe public is thus immersed in a journey that connects Florence, Kyoto and the evolution of global luxury.
Practical information: free entry times in Madrid
If you take advantage of your time in Madrid to see some of these exhibitions, it's a good idea to have the following information handy: Free admission hours to museums and monumentsMany public centers reserve free time slots, especially for residents of the European Union and Latin America.
Among others, the Museo del Prado Open free from Monday to Saturday of 18 to 20h and Sundays and holidays from 17 to 19 pm, in addition to the "El Prado de Noche" program on the first Saturday of each month. Reina Sofia It offers free admission from Monday to Saturday from 19 to 21 pm, and on Sundays from 12:30 to 14:30 pm, while the Thyssen-Bornemisza It allows free visits all day on Mondays.
The Royal Palace, the Gallery of Royal Collections, palaces and monasteries such as the Royal Monastery of Las Descalzas Reales or the Monastery of La Encarnación, as well as museums such as the National Archaeological Museum, the Costume Museum, the Sorolla Museum or the Museum of Romanticism, also have specific free time slotsBefore organizing the route, it is always best to confirm on the official websites, as schedules may vary depending on the time of year.
The current map of fashion exhibitions demonstrates that this field goes far beyond clothes in a shop window: today fashion is studied as aesthetic language, historical archive, political tool, technological laboratory, and reflection of personal and collective obsessionsFrom Balenciaga's dialogue with Spanish footwear to Yves Saint Laurent's transparencies, from sneakers to Cartier's high jewelry, and including photographs by Leibovitz or Newton, each exhibition opens a different door to understanding how we dress, why we do it that way, and what that says about who we are.
