11 Exciting Fashion Exhibitions Coming To London In 2025

Looking to get your culture fix in the capital? Give gallery hopping a stylish twist with a trip to one of these upcoming fashion exhibitions, set to take over London in 2025.

2025 Fashion Exhibitions To Book In London

Dress Codes at Kensington Palace

Royal and court fashion takes the spotlight in Dress Codes at Kensington Palace. An exploration of the codes and conventions of royal clothing, the exhibition will showcase a huge selection of rarely-seen items from the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection – including a 20th century Japanese court suit and a never-before-seen 1920s Reville court dress worn to Buckingham Palace – alongside pieces worn by a young Queen Elizabeth II, Diana, Princess of Wales, Dame Vivienne Westwood, Princess Margaret and Queen Victoria.

When: 13 March – 30 November 2025

Where: Kensington Palace (Kensington Gardens, London W8 4PX)

Tickets: Tickets included in palace admission, which is £20 (members go free) | hrp.org.uk

Curator Matthew Storey examining an early 20th-century Japanese Court Suit coatee in the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection store (c) Historic Royal Palaces

Splash! A Century Of Swimming And Style at The Design Museum

We’ve had exhibitions dedicated to jewellery, dresses and costumes – but what about the humble swimsuit. The Design Museum’s latest exhibition (quite literally) dives into the topic, examining Brits’ love affair with water over the past 100 years. From beach holidays to competitive swimming, Splash! features over 200 objects demonstrating swimming’s social, cultural, technological and environmental evolution. And the headline act? The iconic red bathing suit worn by Pamela Anderson in Baywatch.

You can find out more about what to expect here.

When: 28 March – 17 August 2025

Where: The Design Museum (224-238 Kensington High Street, London W8 6AG)

Tickets: Tickets from £16 per person | designmuseum.org

Subversive Sirens (© Ackerman + Gruber)

The Edwardians: Age of Elegance at The King’s Gallery

Having previously tackled Georgian fashion in a 2022 exhibition, the Royal Collection Trust is back with another style-focused offering. And this time, it’s all about the Edwardians. Opening in The Kings Gallery this spring, The Edwardians explores the opulence and glamour of the period between the Victorian era and WW1. Told through over 300 objects from the Royal Collection (with almost half going on display for the first time), the exhibition will feature artworks by the likes of Carl Fabergé, Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris.

When: 11 April – 23 November 2025

Where: The King’s Gallery (Buckingham Palace, London SW1A 1AA)

Tickets: Tickets from £19 per person | rct.uk

Attributed to Godfrey Durand, ‘The Marlborough House fancy ball’,1874

Cartier at The V&A

Hot on the heels of its mega Chanel exhibition, the V&A will turn to yet another luxury house in 2025. Cartier will trace the house’s legacy of art, design and craftsmanship since the turn of the 20th century – using over 350 objects to tell the story of one of the world’s most renowned jewellers. Make sure to catch this Cartier Scroll Tiara, which shares ties with both British and pop royalty.

You can find out more about what to expect here.

When: 12 April – 16 November 2025

Where: V&A South Kensington (Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL)

Tickets: Tickets from £27 per person| vam.ac.uk

Installation view of Cartier at V&A South Kensington (c) Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Design and Disability at The V&A

Another V&A exhibition on our radar this year is Design and Disability, which showcases how Disabled, Deaf and neurodivergent people have radically contributed to design and culture since the 1940s. Spanning 170 objects relating to design, art, architecture, photography and fashion, the exhibition is marked as ‘a celebration of Disabled-led design and a call for action, affirming the importance of embedding the experiences and expertise of Disabled people in design processes.’

When: 7 June 2025 – 15 February 2026

Where: V&A South Kensington (Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL)

Tickets: Tickets from £16 per person| vam.ac.uk

‘just one of those things #002’ by Mari Katayama, 2021 © Mari Katayama, courtesy of Mari Katayama Studio and Galerie Suzanne Tarasieve, Paris

Gianni Versace Retrospective at Arches London Bridge

Almost 30 years after his death, Gianni Versace continues to hold sway over the fashion landscape – and in this new retrospective exhibition coming to London this summer, we can see just how the trailblazer came to make his mark on the industry. The first and the largest exhibition of its kind in the UK, Gianni Versace Retrospective will feature over 450 original pieces by the designer, worn by the likes of Princess Diana, Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Elton John, Liz Hurley, George Michael and more – many of which have never been displayed in the UK before.

When: From 16 July 2025

Where: Arches London Bridge (8 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 2ER)

Tickets: Tickets from £30.75 (concessions available) | gianniversacelondon.co.uk

Gianni Versace Retrospective in Malaga (c) Siese Veenstra

Downton Abbey: The Auction at Bonhams

It might have been 15 years since Downton Abbey first appeared on screens, but the period drama remains a quintessential British staple. And now, with six seasons and three motion pictures under its belt, the franchise’s creators are ready to say a final farewell – with a massive sale and exhibition taking place at London auction house Bonhams. Free and open to the public, the exhibition will go behind the scenes of Downton Abbey, showcasing all the props and costumes from the period drama. (And give potential bidders a taste of what they could be getting their hands on.)

You can find out more about the upcoming auction and exhibition here.

When: 18 August – 16 September 2025

Where: 101 New Bond Street, London W1S 1SR

Tickets: Entry is free | bonhams.com

Michelle Dockery (as Lady Mary) Wedding 1 Prop Costume, and wedding bouquet Season 3, Episode 1 © Carnival Films

Marie Antoinette Style at The V&A

Will we ever tire of talking about Maire Antoinette? Probably not, and the V&A’s upcoming exhibition dedicated to her enduring style legacy only proves it. The UK’s first dedicated exhibition, Marie Antoinette Style examines her impact as a fashion icon to both her contemporaries and modern fashion lovers retrospectively. Expect plenty of gowns on display, as well as audio visual installations and more.

You can find out more about what to expect here.

When: 20 September 2025 – 22 March 2026

Where: V&A South Kensington (Cromwell Road, London SW7 2RL)

Tickets: Tickets from £23 (members go free) | vam.ac.uk

Film still from Sofia Coppola’s Marie Antoinette. Photo courtesy of I WANT CANDY LLC. and Zoetrope Corp

Dirty Looks: Desire and Decay in Fashion at Barbican Art Gallery

The Barbican’s latest exhibition is an exploration of how contemporary fashion is getting down and dirty – with literal dirt, of course. Dirty Looks brings together over 60 brands and designers from all over the world to trace the use of ‘dirty’ aesthetics as a means of rebellions, romanticism and regeneration. ‘Dirty Looks signals the Barbican’s bold return to fashion as a vital strand of our visual arts programming – one that recognises fashion not only as a form of artistic expression, but also as a lens through which to examine cultural, environmental and political urgencies,’ commented Shanay Jhaveri, Head of Visual Arts at the Barbican. ‘With its focus on decay, renewal and the aesthetics of imperfection, this exhibition invites us to reconsider beauty, value and the regenerative power of making in a world in flux.’

When: 25 September 2025 – 25 January 2026

Where: Barbican Centre (Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS)

Tickets: Tickets available from August 2025 | barbican.org.uk

IAMISIGO, handwoven raffia-cotton blend look dyed with coffee and mud, Spring Summer 2024 Shadows. Photograph by Fred Odede, courtesy of IAMISIGO

Costume Couture: Sixty Years of Cosprop at the Fashion and Textile Museum

World famous costume house Cosprop takes us behind the scenes on over 60 years of film, TV and stage history with its upcoming exhibition, Costume Couture. The costumier, which has been outfitting stars since 1965, dives deep into its archive to present a range of costumes from some of the biggest cinematic projects onscreen – including Downton Abbey, Pride and Prejudice, Peaky Blinders and The Portrait of a Lady – alongside a firsthand look at how costumes are created and finished, with mood boards, swatch books, sketches, illustrations and final designs on show.

You can find out more about what to expect here.

When: 26 September 2025 – Spring 2026

Where: Fashion and Textile Museum (83 Bermondsey Street, London SE1 3XF)

Tickets: Tickets from £12.65 (concessions available) | fashiontextilemuseum.org

Behind the Scenes at Cosprop (c) Paul Bulley

Cecil Beaton’s Fashionable World at the National Portrait Gallery

Fashion photography takes centre stage in this major exhibition by the National Portrait Gallery. Cecil Beaton’s Fashionable World traces the career of the 20th century photographer – often called the ‘King of Vogue‘ – from his early experiments as child and first images of high society patrons to his royal portraiture and Hollywood photography. The exhibition also dives into Beaton’s career-defining relationship with Vogue, with the title’s current Contributing Editor (and fashion historian) Robin Muir acting as curator. Expect plenty of portraits depicting some of the era’s biggest stars, including actors Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando; royals Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Margaret; and artists Lucian Freud, Francis Bacon and Salvador Dalí.

When: 9 October 2025 – 11 January 2026

Where: National Portrait Gallery (St. Martin’s Place, London WC2H 0HE)

Tickets: Ticket prices to be announced (members go free) | npg.org.uk

Elizabeth Taylor, 1955, Gelatin silver print, The Cecil Beaton Studio Archive, London.