A grand tour of international exhibitions to visit this summer 2024

With the opening of several fashion exhibitions taking place throughout the month of June, the calendar for the summer is brimming with potential visits, offering plenty to do in the way of fashion-related travel throughout the season. FashionUnited has put together a list of several exhibitions across Europe, the UK and the US that are a must on the hit list.

The exhibitions are listed in order of descending date, so that you don't miss any exhibition.

Dal cuore alle mani - Dolce & Gabbana

A stopover in Milan is the first on the agenda. ‘Dal cuore alle mani’, which loosely translates to ‘from the heart to the hands’, can be seen in the city’s Palazzo Reale. The exhibition showcases various one-of-a-kind items from Dolce & Gabbana. The references to Italian culture are extensively discussed, alongside art, architecture, craftsmanship, traditions and of course ‘la dolce vita’.

This exhibition can be seen until July 31, 2024 at Palazzo Reale, Milan.

Willy Vanderperre - Prints, films a rave and more

Belgian photographer Willy Vanderperre and his fascination with youth are central to the exhibition at the Modemuseum Antwerpen, Belgium. Vanderperre worked on assignments for various magazines and fashion brands, including Maison Margiela, Dior, Prada, Vogue, i-D and W Magazine.

This exhibition can be seen until August 4, 2024 at the ModeMuseum Antwerpen, Belgium.

Statement Sleeves

They come in many forms: the statement sleeve. Whether it is lavishly decorated, ingeniously constructed or enlarged - there is a statement sleeve for everyone. Or at least that is the approach of the exhibition at the Museum at Fit in New York.

This exhibition can be seen until August 25, 2024 at Museum at FIT, New York.

Lee Alexander McQueen & Ann Ray

The late famed designer Alexander McQueen is at the heart of an ongoing exhibition at Nashville’s Frist Art Museum, where his work and life come under the microscope of his trusted friend and French photographer Ann Ray. The photography exhibit offers an “intimate glimpse into the life and mind of McQueen” through a curation of photographs taken over the course of 13 years by Ray.

This exhibition can be seen until August 25, 2024, at The Frist Art Museum in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Lore of Loverboy

Designer Charles Jeffrey Loverboy is the subject of the exhibition at Somerset House in London. The exhibition looks at the ten years in which the designer went from "the club to the catwalk". It is a behind-the-scenes look at the establishment of a fashion house and the craftsmanship of all the collections. Somerset House states that there is a “maximalist, immersive show through a series of sensorially led spaces”.

This exhibition can be seen until September 1, 2024 at Somerset House, London.

Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion

What use is an archive if it cannot be exhibited? The Metropolitan Museum of Art has many "sleeping beauties" that cannot be easily exhibited and certainly not worn because of the fragile state of an item. By means of new techniques, the museum kisses the pieces back to life.

This exhibition can be seen until September 2, 2024 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Beyond Fashion

At the Saatchi Gallery, the work of top fashion photographers is at the forefront of the institute’s current exhibition ‘Beyond Fashion’, with imagery from the likes of Nick Knight, Miles Aldridge and Ellen von Unwerth among just some of those displayed. The exhibition travels through the varying aesthetics of fashion photography, from studio shoots to street style with an array of designer brands also put into the spotlight.

This exhibition can be seen until September 8, 2024 at the Saatchi Gallery, London.

Richard Avedon: Relationships

While perhaps not the most famous name among the general public, Richard Avedon has been a great influence to the fashion world. The American fashion and portrait photographer is the subject of the exhibition at Kunsthal in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. More than 130 works by Avedon can be seen in the retrospective exhibition. He worked for Harper's Bazaar and Vogue, among others, and introduced a new kind of fashion photography. Where until then static poses were the norm, Avedon lets his models move in realistic and dynamic settings.

This exhibition can be seen until October 6, 2024 at Kunsthal, Rotterdam.

Viktor&Rolf 'Fashion Statements'

This latest Viktor&Rolf exhibition is a first for the brand in Germany. As such, the Viktor&Rolf Fashion Statements exhibition focuses on the intersection of haute couture and art. More than 100 designs by the Dutch fashion house can be seen in Kunsthalle München.

This exhibition can be seen until October 6 at Kunsthalle München, Germany.

Sari / Statement: Fashion from India

The sari is enjoying renewed popularity outside its home turf of South Asia. The traditional garment has already undergone many evolutions and is still being cast in new forms by contemporary designers. Wereldmuseum Amsterdam explores the transformation of the garment in the exhibition ‘Sar / Statement: Fashion from India’.

This exhibition can be seen until November 3, 2024 at Wereldmuseum Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Jules François Crahay, Back in the spotlight

Designer Jules François Crahay is often referred to as ‘the forgotten Dior’. While his name may have been forgotten, the Mode & Kant Museum in Brussels is doing its best to put the designer back in the spotlight. Crahay worked for fashion houses Nina Ricci and Lanvin, and his name was mentioned as a possible successor to Christian Dior, after his death in 1957.

This exhibition can be seen until November 10, 2024 at the Mode & Kant Museum, Brussels.

M/Others - Fashion and motherhood

In ‘M/Others - Fashion and motherhood’ the exhibition explores the relationship between clothing and motherhood. Not only how clothing is used for support during pregnancy and breastfeeding, but also how mothers were seen as muses by various designers.

This exhibition can be seen until January 5, 2025 at Modemuseum Hasselt, Belgium.

Yuima Nakazato Beyond Couture

Some 50 designs combined with accessories, sketches, technical drawings, fabric samples, photos and videos provide a glimpse behind the scenes of the process of Japanese designer Yuima Nakazato. Nakazato is known for the avant-garde style of his couture collections.

This exhibition can be seen until January 5, 2025 at the Museum of Lace and Fashion in Calais, France.

Naomi: In Fashion

One of the most famous faces in the fashion industry is model Naomi Campbell. Campbell’s modelling career spans over 40 years, during which time she was the first black model on the cover of French Vogue at just 18. Campbell is not only a famous model, but has also become a cultural icon. The exhibition therefore focuses on Campbell's journey from the moment she was scouted at the age of 15 to where she is now.

This exhibition can be seen from June 22, 2024 to April 6, 2025 at the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

This article originally appeared on FashionUnited.NL. Translation and edit by: Rachel Douglass.