Five world fashion exhibitions in 2023

The new year means new exhibitions for the museums of the world’s biggest fashion capitals. From the 1997 highlights at the Palais Galliera in Paris, to the tribute to Karl Lagerfeld at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York: here are five must-see fashion exhibitions in 2023.

Christian Dior: The Designer of Dreams at the Tokyo Museum of Contemporary Art

After Paris, London and New York, this retrospective dedicated to Christian Dior has just arrived in Tokyo, focusing specifically on the close ties between Dior and Japan. The great couturier’s influences, such as his passion for gardens and his most emblematic creations, are at the center of this exhibition, whose scenography has been specially designed to pay tribute to Japanese culture. But that is not all. The public can also browse haute couture creations and accessories designed by Christian Dior’s successor creative directors, including Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, John Galliano and Maria Grazia Chiuri.

Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams – until May 28, 2023 at the Tokyo Museum of Contemporary Art.

1997, Fashion Big Bang at the Palais Galliera in Paris

The famous Y2K (or “2000s”) has been an inexhaustible source of inspiration since the beginning of 2022, but still 1997 is considered a pivotal year in fashion. “The Big Bang”, as Parisian magazine Vogue called the spring-summer 1997 haute couture season, which the Palais Galliera will follow with an exhibition that will open from March 7. The public will appreciate collections that have become iconic, such as ‘Body’ Meets Dress’, Dress Meets Body’ Comme des Garçons, and will also remember the emergence of new creative directors who are now considered top designers, such as Hedi Slimane, Stella McCartney and Nicolas Ghesquière. The exhibition will also remind of significant events such as the opening of the Colette concept store. The entire exhibition will contain as many as 50 designs, videos and archival documents.

1997, Fashion Big Bang – from March 7 to July 16, 2023 at the Palais Galliera in Paris.

Karl Lagerfeld: Beauty line at the Met in New York

The Metropolitan Museum of Art decided to dedicate its big spring exhibition to one fashion designer, Karl Lagerfeld. An exceptional retrospective that will be in the form of a dedication to his creative genius, but also to his personality, through as many as 150 designs, obviously accompanied by sketches signed by the great German couturier. His work methodology, creative process, designs, relationship with his closest collaborators… The public will be able to appreciate all the designer’s work from the time he worked for Balmain, Patou, Chloe, Fendi, Chanel and his own label. . As every year, the Costume Institute exhibition will be officially opened by the most coveted event on the red carpet, the Met Gala, for which all guests will wear Karl Lagerfeld’s creations.

Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty – from May 5 to July 16, 2023 at the Met in New York.

Gabrielle Chanel. A fashion manifesto at the V&A in London

After the Palais Gallier in Paris, it’s the Victoria & Albert Museum’s turn to host this retrospective dedicated to Gabrielle Chanel. This is the first British exhibition dedicated entirely to the work of the French couturier, and the V&A will present some rare creations from its own collection for the occasion. In total, the museum will gather more than 180 exhibits, as well as jewelry, accessories, cosmetics and perfumes. All of this aims to highlight the evolution of Gabrielle Chanel’s iconic style, as well as her journey to her last collection in 1971.

Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto – from 16 September 2023 to 25 February 2024 at the V&A in London.

Fashion and sport at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris

With the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris approaching, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs decided to explore the close and increasingly common links between the worlds of fashion and sports. Clothing, accessories, photos, paintings, posters and videos will be installed in the museum to show the connection between these two worlds, from antiquity to the present day. Sportswear, whether designed and/or used for training or in the city, will be at the center of this exhibition, which will highlight tennis dresses from the 19th century, the iconic yellow jersey of the Tour de France and Lacoste polo shirts, as well as more recent collections including sneakers and apparel with logos, and the collaboration between sports and fashion that is now a big part of our daily lives.

Fashion and Sport – from September 20, 2023 to April 7, 2024 at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris.