Catwalk: The Art of the Fashion Show
April 3, 2026 - January 17, 2027
Fashion shows have grown from intimate salon presentations to global spectacles generating dazzling images shared worldwide. Catwalk: The Art of the Fashion Show will trace the evolution of the catwalk from the private fashion salons of the late 19th century to today’s live-stream experiences documenting over 100 years of fashion show history.
Spotlighting their creativity, energy and impact, the exhibition brings together landmark examples from renowned fashion houses such as Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Chanel, Dior, Maison Margiela, Prada, Paco Rabanne, Viktor & Rolf, Louis Vuitton and Yoji Yamamoto, amongst others. Exploring the history and cultural significance of the runway, Catwalk will document seminal moments in fashion, including the theatrical spectacles seen at Alexander McQueen and dramatic show settings such as Fendi at the Great Wall of China, Dior’s takeover of Drummond Castle Gardens in Perthshire and Chanel’s staging of a rocket launch.
From ’60s subcultures to fashion in a digital age, fashion shows are epic creative endeavours, blending many different design disciplines – architecture, lighting, music, film, makeup, hairdressing, jewellery, set design and fashion – into carefully choreographed fleeting sequences with models centre-stage. In Catwalk: The Art of the Fashion Show, the catwalk through the changing eras will be brought to life with film and photographs, original collection pieces, stage props and a wealth of archival material, creating a vivid experience of the catwalk from its beginnings to the present day.
