Here is your round-up of the global exhibitions you need to visit in the coming months
Du Cœur à la Main: Dolce&Gabbana, Paris
Following a successful run in Milan, Dolce & Gabbana launched their travelling exhibition, ‘Du Coeur à la Main: Dolce & Gabbana,’ in Paris recently. The exhibition showcases a collection of exclusive masterpieces that reflect the designers’ creative ingenuity and their ability to merge tradition with modernity.
Designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana were in attendance for the opening, joined by a host of international celebrities, including Monica Bellucci, Juliette Binoche, Natalia Vodianova, Fanny Ardant, Axelle Saint-Cirel, and Marco Asensio. ‘Du Coeur à la Main: Dolce & Gabbana’ will remain open in Paris until 31 March 2025 before continuing its global tour.
The exhibition invites visitors to immerse themselves in the world of Dolce & Gabbana, exploring the craftsmanship and artistic vision that define the brand’s aesthetic.
expositiondolcegabbana.francebillet.com/artist/dolce-gabbana-exposition/
Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, New York
The Metropolitan Museum of Art has announced its spring 2025 exhibition, “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” scheduled to run from 10 May to 26 October 2025 at The Met Fifth Avenue. The exhibition, inspired by Monica L. Miller’s 2009 book “Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity,” will explore the cultural and historical significance of the Black dandy, tracing its evolution from 18th-century Enlightenment Europe to contemporary urban centres such as London, New York, and Paris.
The exhibition aims to examine how sartorial style has been instrumental in shaping Black identities within the Atlantic diaspora. It will feature a diverse array of media, including garments, accessories, drawings, prints, paintings, photographs, and film excerpts, to narrate the story of the Black dandy over time.
The showcase will delve into themes such as ownership, authority, self-possession, and the aesthetic playfulness inherent in dandyism, highlighting how fashion has served as a medium for both assimilation and distinction. To commemorate the opening of “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” The Met Gala is scheduled for 5 May 2025. The event will be co-chaired by Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, Pharrell Williams, and Anna Wintour, with LeBron James serving as honorary chair.
Louvre Couture, Paris
The Louvre Museum in Paris is currently hosting a spectacular exhibition called “Louvre Couture: Art and Fashion – Statement Piece,” running until the 21st of July 2025. This groundbreaking showcase explores the symbiotic relationship between fashion and art, presenting 65 garments and numerous accessories from renowned fashion houses alongside the museum’s esteemed decorative arts collection.
Curated by Olivier Gabet, Director of the Musée du Louvre’s Department of Decorative Arts, the exhibition spans approximately 9,000 square metres within the department’s galleries.
It traces the evolution of decorative styles, craftsmanship, and ornamentation from the Byzantine era to the Second Empire. The displayed pieces, sourced from both established and emerging fashion houses worldwide, are thoughtfully positioned to draw parallels with the museum’s masterpieces, offering visitors a fresh perspective on the interplay between contemporary fashion design and historical art forms.
louvre.fr/en/exhibitions-and-events/exhibitions/louvre-couture
The Flowers of Yves Saint Laurent, Paris
The Musée Yves Saint Laurent Paris is currently hosting “The Flowers of Yves Saint Laurent” exhibition until the 4th of May 2025. Curated by Olivier Saillard and Gaël Mamine, this exhibition follows its initial display at the Musée Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech earlier in the year. It marks the first collaborative effort between the two museums to explore a central theme in Saint Laurent’s work. Yves Saint Laurent was deeply inspired by flowers and gardens, which influenced his personal spaces and professional creations. This passion is evident in over thirty garments and drawings showcased in the exhibition, highlighting the connection between nature, literature, and Saint Laurent’s designs.
Each section of the exhibition pairs quotes from Marcel Proust with Saint Laurent’s floral designs, reflecting the designer’s admiration for the author. Visitors will encounter a variety of floral inspirations, from lilies of the valley, reminiscent of Christian Dior, to Moroccan bougainvillaea and symbols of luck like wheat. Notable pieces include a spring-summer 1962 dress featuring early embroidery and inventive prints from the spring-summer 2001 collection, inspired by Pierre Bonnard’s paintings. A standout exhibit is the oversized silk gazar flowers worn by Laetitia Casta as a summer bride in 1999.
museeyslparis.com/en/exhibitions/les-fleurs-dyves-saint-laurent
NAOMI In Fashion, London
The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) is currently hosting ‘NAOMI: In Fashion’, a major exhibition chronicling the 40-year career of British fashion model and cultural icon Naomi Campbell. Running until 6 April 2025 in Gallery 40 at V&A South Kensington, it was developed in collaboration with Campbell, with the exhibition offering an intimate look into her extensive wardrobe, featuring approximately 100 haute couture and ready-to-wear pieces.
Highlights include a 1989 Thierry Mugler car-inspired corset, a pink Valentino ensemble from the 2019 Met Gala, and the Vivienne Westwood platform shoes from her notable 1993 runway fall. Designs by Alexander McQueen, Chanel, and Yves Saint Laurent, among others, are also showcased. The exhibition features photography curated by Edward Enninful OBE, with works by photographers such as Nick Knight and Peter Lindbergh. It also delves into Campbell’s activism, highlighting her involvement with the Black Girls Coalition and her 2022 initiative, EMERGE, supporting emerging creatives.
Contemporary Fashion Memorabile, Rome
The MAXXI National Museum of 21st Century Arts in Rome is currently hosting “Memorabile. Ipermoda,” an exhibition curated by Maria Luisa Frisa in collaboration with the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana. Running until the 23rd of March 2025, the exhibition delves into fashion’s role as a mirror to contemporary society. “Memorabile. Ipermoda” presents a diverse array of garments, accessories, archival materials, and videos, illustrating fashion’s capacity to adapt to social, political, economic, and cultural shifts. The exhibition addresses themes such as fashion’s relationship with time, archive management, the influence of creative directors in luxury brands, and sustainability challenges.
Visitors will encounter unexpected pairings of haute couture and independent fashion pieces, each narrating its unique story. Emanuela Bruni, Acting Board Member of the MAXXI Foundation, highlighted the collaborative nature of the exhibition, noting that each partner and creator has contributed their vision, fostering a dialogue that enriches the experience and prompts a rethinking of the boundaries of creativity and art.
