6 exhibition I dream to see… this year, maybe?

A wonderful exhibition curated by no other than Claudia Schiffer, a trip into the most fascinating story (for me) of Alice and her adventures, a retrospective of the ’90 fashion, an ode to master Balenciaga, some ocean-inspired collections and an exhibition meant to be… sportive: they are those 6 exhibitions I dream to see in 2021. Could someone tell me it’s not impossible, please?  

(photo up – from OCEANISTA exhibition, photo Siw Aldershvile Nielsen)

Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser
Starting with a trip down the rabbit hole and ending with a tumble through the looking glass, the V&A’s Alice exhibition explores the origins and influence of Lewis Carroll’s books and their famous illustrations by John Tenniel. Exhibits include costumes and concept art from Tim Burton’s 2010 adaptation, Tim Walker’s Alice-inspired Pirelli calendar photos, and wonderland fashion from Iris van Herpen and Viktor & Rolf. (V&A, London, UK, March 2021)

Fashion Photography From The 1990s – curated By Claudia Schiffer
The 1990s was the era of supermodel supremacy—Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, Linda Evangelista, Helena Christensen – so who better to guide us through the decade than Claudia Schiffer? The model and actor (50 years old) is taking a detour into the museum world, curating the work of photographers that helped turn her into a globally recognised figure, as  Ellen von Unwerth, Juergen Teller and Karl Lagerfeld. A personal take on the decade, her show includes photography from her archive. (Kunstpalast, Düsseldorf, Germany, autumn). 

Activewear
A gold medal goes the Fashion Museum Hasselt, which has two Olympians as its guest curators: sprinters Élodie Ouédraogo and Olivia Borlée, the one-time relay teammates who now run sportswear label 42|54. It’s a trip from the earliest days of sporting garments to nowadays, when activewear has its place on the catwalks of high fashion. (Fashion Museum Hasselt, Belgium, June to December 2021)

Alaïa and Balenciaga: Sculptors of Shape
An exhibition that traveled from Fondation Azzedine Alaïa, Paris to the home town of the incredible Balenciaga, in Spain. Over four decades, Azzedine Alaïa collected the work of fashion designers he revered. His passion was dresses from the 1930s and 1950s, and of the designers from that era, the one he cherished most was Cristóbal Balenciaga. Curated by Olivier Saillard, this exhibition places 120 creations by the two designers side by side, all of them from Alaïa’s own collection. (Cristóbal Balenciaga Museoa, Getaria, Spain, April to autumn 2021)

Reinvention and Restlessness: 1990s Fashion
A decade that we loved and hated: with all its grunge, deconstruction, performance fabrics, wild spectacle on the runway, the rebirth of the haute couture houses and endless historic homage. Fashion in the 90s is organized by Colleen Hill, curator of costume and accessories, and features more than 75 looks from Alexander McQueen, Hussein Chalayan, Gucci, Calvin Klein, Helmut Lang, Maison Martin Margiela, Prada, and many others. (The Museum at FIT, New York, US, Online Exhibition, March, 2021)

Oceanista – Fashion & The Sea
Nautical stripes, deck shoes, navy trims, frogging, nautical stripes, deck shoes – the ocean, the sea creatures and the delicate marine materials and shapes have inspired the wonderful exhibition Oceanista – Fashion & The Sea. Ocean-going fashion covers a lot of ground (or water) from Jean Paul Gaultier’s sexy sailor boys and relaxed Riviera looks from Chanel to Iris van Herpen’s splash-tacular water dresses. (M/S Maritime Museum of Denmark, check website for dates)

Photography: (C) courtesy of museums

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