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Fashion and Style in South Kensington

Fashion and style are synonymous with South Kensington. Look back in time or look to the future of fashion at some of London's leading museums.

Fashion

Daily
V&A South Kensington
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Spanning five centuries, the Fashion collection is the largest and most comprehensive collection of dresses in the world.

V&A jewellery collection

Daily: 10am-5:45pm - Friday: 10am–10pm
V&A South Kensington
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One of the finest collections of jewelry in the world - over 3,500 jewels, including pendants given by Queen Elizabeth I.

Threads of tradition: Create your own tote bag (13-17 years old)

26th Oct
10:30am-1pm
V&A South Kensington
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Join the V&A for an exciting hands-on workshop where you'll have the opportunity to create your own NAOMI: In Fashion inspired tote bag.

Image credit: 1959 Barbie No. 1 © Mattel, Inc.

Barbie: The exhibition

5th July - 23rd Feb 2025
10am - 5pm
Design Museum
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A major exhibition exploring the design evolution of one of the world’s most famous dolls: Barbie®. Journey into the Barbie universe and discover over 250 remarkable objects, with rare, unique and innovative dolls dating from 1959 to the present day.

Taylor Swift | Songbook Trail

Until 8th Sept
All day
V&A South Kensington
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Explore a free trail across the museum celebrating Taylor Swift, with a range of her iconic looks on display. The costumes will sit alongside instruments, music awards, storyboards and previously unseen archival which will explore her childhood and recording legacy, many on display for the first time.

Workshop: Design the Interior of Your Dreams

6th Oct
10am-4pm
Design Museum
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Learn the basics of designing home interiors – explore historical influences, the latest colour trends, and expand your personal style in this class led by tutors from KLC School of Design.

An Evening with Mary Portas

8th Oct
7pm- 8:15pm
Design Museum
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Join the legendary retail expert, broadcaster and author Mary Portas in Conversation with Josephine Chanter, Director of Audiences at the Design Museum.

Image credit: ‘Rebirth’ Garments. Sandra Oviedo (a.k.a.) Colectivo Multipolar

Design and Disability

7th June 2025- 15th Feb 2026
10am - 5:45pm
V&A South Kensington
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Both a celebration and a call to action, this exhibition showcases the radical contributors of disabled, Deaf, and neurodiverse people and communities to design history and contemporary culture.

Image credit: Antoinetta, 2005 by Manolo Blahnik

Marie Antoinette Style

20th Sept 2025 - 22nd March 2026
10am - 5:45pm
V&A South Kensington
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A complex fashion icon, Marie Antoinette's timeless appeal is defined by her style, youth and notoriety. Explore the lasting influence of the most fashionable (and ill-fated) queen in history.

Enthoven Unboxed: 100 Years of Collecting Performance

14th Sept 2024- 4th Jan 2026
10am - 5:45pm
V&A South Kensington
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Marking 100 years since Gabrielle Enthoven founded the theatre and performance collection, explore an A–Z of themes to show how performance continues to entertain, provoke and inspire

Kay Barron: The Language of Fashion (Livestream)

7th Oct
7pm-8pm
V&A South Kensington
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Join Kay Barron, Fashion Director at Net-A-Porter and author of How to Wear Everything in conversation with journalist Pandora Sykes about the Language of Fashion.

Lee Miller: Life and Legacy (Livestream)

31st Oct
7pm-8pm
V&A South Kensington
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Join the son and granddaughter of acclaimed photographer Lee Miller to celebrate the incredible life and legacy of photographer, model and war correspondent.

Out Shopping: The dresses of Marion and Maud Sambourne (1880-1910)

23rd March - 20th Oct
10am - 5.30pm
Leighton House and Sambourne House Museum
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A curated selection of rarely-seen outfits, this exhibition will tell the story of Marion Sambourne and Maud Messel, at a moment in history that significantly shaped fashion.

Design 1900-Now Gallery

Wednesday–Sunday, 10.00–17.45
V&A South Kensington
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A gallery exploring how design shapes how we live, work, travel, communicate and consume. The gallery includes Margaret Calvert and Jock Kinneir’s iconic British road signage system, Kim Kardashian’s Selfish book and Nike’s Nigeria football shirt for the 2018 World Cup.

Naomi in Fashion

22nd June 2024 - 6th April 2025
10.00am - 5.45pm
V&A South Kensington
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An exhibition exploring the extraordinary career of fashion model Naomi Campbell. Through the work of leading global designers and photographers we celebrate her creative collaborations, activism and far-reaching cultural impact.