Fashioning Masculinities: The Art of Menswear

19 Mar-6 Nov 2022

Overview

In partnership with Gucci.

Fashioning Masculinities will be the first major V&A exhibition to celebrate the power, artistry and diversity of masculine attire and appearance. From the extravagance of the European courts, to the subtle elegance of bespoke tailoring, to the vitality of today’s international fashion scene, the exhibition will trace how menswear has been fashioned and refashioned over the centuries. Fashioning Masculinities will bring together contemporary looks by legendary designers and rising stars alongside historical treasures from the V&A’s collections and landmark loans: classical sculptures, Renaissance paintings, iconic photographs, and powerful film and performance. At a moment of unprecedented creativity in men’s fashion and reflection on gender, Fashioning Masculinities will explore how designers, tailors and artists – and their clients and sitters – have constructed and performed masculinity, and unpicked it at the seams.