A Huge Schiaparelli Exhibition Is Coming To The V&A

‘In difficult times fashion is always outrageous,’ said fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli. And if ever a time was difficult, it would be now. Thankfully, outrageous design comes in spades at the V&A’s upcoming exhibition, Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art, which will see the South Kensington museum dive into the creative world of Italian designer Elsa Schiaparelli. Here’s everything you need to know about the landmark show – plus how to get tickets.

Here’s What’s On at The V&A Right Now

The V&A’s Schiaparelli Exhibition: Dates, Tickets & What’s On Display

Loved Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto? Couldn’t get enough of NAOMI? Then prepare yourself: the V&A has just announced its next major fashion exhibition – and it puts the spotlight on one of the industry’s biggest stars. ‘Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art will celebrate one of the most ingenious and daring designers in fashion history,’ says Tristram Hunt, Director of the V&A. ‘The V&A holds one of the largest and most important fashion collections in the world, and the foremost collection of Schiaparelli garments in Britain. Schiaparelli’s collaboration with artists and with the world of performance make the Maison and its founder an ideal subject for a spectacular exhibition at the V&A.’

Designer Elsa Schiaparelli wearing black silk dress with crocheted collar of her own design and a turban. (Photo by Fredrich Baker/Condé Nast via Getty Images)

Set to open in spring 2026, this will mark the first exhibition ever staged in the UK devoted to the luxury label – as well as the first dedicated to the designer behind it. ‘Elsa Schiaparelli’s fearless imagination and radical vision redefined the boundaries between fashion and art. This exhibition celebrates her enduring influence through iconic collaborations with 20th-century masters and a pioneering fusion of creativity and commerce,’ highlights Delphine Bellini, CEO of Schiaparelli. ‘With its unparalleled collections, expertise in fashion and design, cultural reach, and ability to bridge tradition and innovation, the Victoria and Albert Museum offers the perfect setting to showcase her legacy alongside Daniel Roseberry’s creations, which carry her surrealist spirit forward blurring lines with bold, sculptural designs that both honour and reinvent her vision for a new century.’

What’s On Display?

Comprised of over 200 objects, Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art will trace the fashion house’s history from the 1920s up to the present day, with a focus on the creative innovations of designer Elsa Schiaparelli – who the V&A dubs ‘the nexus’ of fashion, art and performance. Delving into the origins of the house, the exhibition delves into the career of its namesake designer up until her retirement in 1954, as well as the how the label evolved in the years that followed and what Schiaparelli now looks like under the guidance of current creative director Daniel Roseberry.

Ankle-length coat of black silk jersey with facial profiles forming a rose-filled vase, Elsa Schiaparelli, Jean Cocteau and Lesage, London, 1937 (c) Victoria and Albert Museum, London

In a Schiaparelli first, the V&A will also put the spotlight on the house’s London branch, highlighting the stories of local clients and how Elsa Schiaparelli continued to grow her label from the UK capital.

The arts will also play a key role in telling the designer’s story. The exhibition will feature Schiaparelli’s ‘Skeleton’ and ‘Tears’ dresses, as well as a hat shaped to look shapes to look like a shoe – all of which were created in collaboration with Surrealist Salvador Dalí, and are now housed in the V&A’s collection. These will be displayed alongside artworks by Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau and Man Ray, and designs by Schiaparelli created for various film and theatre productions.

Models wearing Schiaparelli, 1936 (Photo by Cecil Beaton/Condé Nast via Getty Images)

Where & When?

Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art will run at the V&A South Kensington from 21 March until 1 November 2026.

How To Get Tickets For Schiaparelli: Fashion Becomes Art At The V&A

Tickets will go on sale in autumn 2025. (Note that members will not need to book, and will be able to go free.) vam.ac.uk

Main image: Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry (Long sheath gown, Matador Couture collection, haute couture fall-winter 2021–2022. Wool crepe. Gilded brass necklace adorned with rhinestones in the shape of lungs. Patrimoine Schiaparelli, Paris.)