Europe’s must-see fashion exhibitions of 2019

Traveling around Europe this year? Then you should consider adding a fashion exhibition to your itinerary, as several museums across the continent will be organizing interesting exhibits dedicated to fashion this year. FashionUnited has selected the most promising ones.

Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams - London, England

London’s Victoria & Albert Museum is hosting its biggest fashion exhibition since Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty, held in 2015. Featuring 200 rare haute couture pieces from 1947 to present day, including gowns worn by Princess Margaret and Jennifer Lawrence, the exhibition shows how influential the House of Dior is, from founder Christian Dior to its current Creative Director, Maria Grazia Chiuri. FashionUnited visited the exhibition and shares some exclusive pictures here.

When: February 2 - July 14. Where: V&A Museum, London

Picture: FashionUnited

Mary Quant - London, England

Speaking of the V&A, the museum was given unprecedented access to Mary Quant’s archive, which resulted in a comprehensive retrospective of the fashion designer’s life and works. Featuring over 200 items, many of which have never been on display before, this will be the largest collection of Mary Quant garments to ever be showcased to the public. More details here.

When: April 6 - March 8, 2020. Where: V&A Museum, London

Mary Quant at her apartment in Draycott Place, Chelsea, London, c.1965 by Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone/Getty Images. Courtesy of V&A Museum

English as a Second Language - London, England

Hanna Moon and Joyce Ng are two of the most successful fashion photographers of our time. This upcoming exhibition at Somerset House investigates how Moon's and Ng's approach to fashion has been influenced by their countries of birth -- South Korea and Hong Kong, respectively.

When: January 25 - April 28. Where: Somerset House, London

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English as a Second Language opens tomorrow (25 Jan - 28 Apr 2019). Hanna Moon and Joyce Ng have created two new series of photography works, responding directly to the historical setting of #SomersetHouse. ⠀ ⠀ Moon presents a dramatic reimagining of Somerset House’s neoclassical setting. She captures imagery of her two muses; Moffy, from London, and Heejin, from South Korea, in the dark of night, rebelliously ‘invading’ the site to create a series of intimate works, featuring bespoke sets and objects that reflect her personal experiences living in UK.⠀ ⠀ Joyce Ng, a rising star within today’s fashion landscape, uses street-casted models, natural environments and props to create images which feel both familiar, yet surreal. Drawing inspiration from the renowned sixteenth century Chinese novel Journey to the West, Ng has cast models solely from the vibrant community at Somerset House, inviting visitors and residents to become characters in a fragmented narrative through the hidden and public spaces of the building.⠀ ⠀

A post shared by Somerset House (@somersethouse) on Jan 24, 2019 at 9:29am PST

Veiled, Unveiled! The Headscarf - Vienna, Austria

Much older than Islam, Christianism or Judaism, headscarves have acquired various social meanings across different times and cultures. From a symbol of modesty and virginity to a luxury accessory in the 1950s, this exhibition in the Welten Museum in Vienna delves into everything headscarves have come to represent.

When: October 18, 2018 - February 26, 2019. Where: Welt Museum, Vienna, Austria

Picture credit: Viennese Chic 2018, © Susanne Bisovsky, Foto: Bernd Preiml, courtesy of Welten Museum

Paco Rabanne, fashion metallurgist - Rouen, France

The museums of the city of Rouen, France, are hosting six simultaneous exhibitions dedicated to fashion. They’re all worth a visit, but if you only have time for one, visit Paco Rabanne, Métallurgiste de la mode (Paco Rabanne, fashion metallurgist), held by the Secq des Tournelles museum. With archival documents, videos, magazines and, of course, outfits, this exhibition shows how Paco Rabanne revolutionized fashion in the 1960s.

When: January 25 - May 19. Where: Musée Le Secq des Tournelles, Rouen, France.

Artistes à la Une, Toget’her - Paris, France

33 contemporary artists from around the world were invited to imagine a Vogue Paris cover featuring the portrait of an inspiring woman. From Beyoncé to Betty Davis, the results are a homage to women’s creativity and empowerment.

When: February 19 to 27. Where: Monnaie de Paris, Paris.

Picture credit: courtesy of La Monnaie de Paris

Made in Italy - Amsterdam, Netherlands

Did you know that Amsterdam has a museum entirely dedicated to bags and purses? One of the exhibitions hosted by the museum this year aims to answer the following question: what is it about Italian design that makes the words “made in Italy” immediately raise the price tag of a bag? Featuring handbag designs from Prada, Gucci and Dolce & Gabbana, this exhibition is hands down a handbag aficionado's paradise.

When: May 20, 2018 - February 17. Where: Museum of Bags and Purses, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Femmes fatales, strong women in fashion - The Hague, Netherlands

More fashion houses are run by women today than ever before. That’s why the Gemeentemuseum in The Hague, the Netherlands, is hosting an exhibition dedicated to female fashion designers. It features works by Coco Chanel, Jeanne Lanvin, Elsa Schiaparelli, Mary Quant, Vivienne Westwood, Miuccia Prada, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Iris van Herpen, among many others.

When: November 17, 2018 - March 24, 2019. Where: Gemeentemuseum Den Haag, The Hague, Netherlands

Photo credit: Iris van Herpen, Wilderness Embodied Courtesy Iris van Herpen for Gemeentemuseum Den Haag. Photo: Petrovsky & Ramone for Gemeentemuseum Den Haag.

Contemporary Muslim Fashions - Frankfurt, Germany

After a successful run at the San Francisco De Young Museum, Contemporary Muslim Fashions will be on display at the Museum of Applied Art (Museum Angewandte Kunst) in Frankfurt, Germany. Delving into how Muslim women juggle trendsetting with modest dress codes, the exhibit features a wide range of pieces, from high-end items to less formal street attire.

When: April 5 - September 15. Where: Museum Angewandte Kunst, Frankfurt, Germany.

Photo credit: courtesy of Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco

Interested in knowing what the must-see fashion exhibitions in the United States are? Click here.

Header image: Femmes Fatales, Dior Spring/Summer 2017 ready-to-wear by Petrovsky & Ramone, courtesy of Gemeentemuseum Den Haag