A new fashion exhibition making its UK debut in Scotland, and an exhibition celebrating disabled design and culture will be shown at V&A Dundee next year.
Catwalk: The Art of the Fashion Show (3 April 2026 – 17 January 2027), dedicated to the phenomenon of the fashion show, is V&A Dundee’s major exhibition for 2026.
Fashion shows have grown from intimate salon presentations to global spectacles, generating 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.
Kirsty Hassard, Co-curator of Catwalk: The Art of the Fashion Show at V&A Dundee said, “Fashion shows are more than just moments on a runway – they’re defining moments in culture that reflect the spirit of their time, bringing together a multitude of different design disciplines including hair and makeup, set design, lighting, photography and many more. This UK-first exhibition is a celebration of over 100 years of catwalk history, exploring the underlying dreams and motivations behind the catwalk concepts, revealing how they’ve shaped not only what we wear, but how we see ourselves.”
Design and Disability, an exhibition that centres disability as an identity and culture through design, will travel from V&A South Kensington to V&A Dundee, opening on 4 June 2026.
Showcasing the radical contributions of Disabled, Deaf, and neurodivergent people to contemporary design and culture from the 1940s to now, Design and Disability is both a celebration of disabled-led design and a call for action, affirming the importance of embedding the experiences and expertise of Disabled people in design processes.
Around 170 objects will be on display across three sections – Visibility, Tools and Living – spanning design, art, architecture, fashion and photography. It will show how disabled people have designed for every aspect of life through their own experience and expertise, tracing the political and social history of design and disability. Through examples of disability-first practices showcasing the work of disabled people and collaborators, the exhibition will demonstrate how design can be made more equitable and accessible, aiming towards design justice.
Natalie Kane, Curator of Design and Disability at the V&A said, “This exhibition shows how disabled people are the experts in their own lives, and have made invaluable contributions to our designed world. Design and Disability aims to honour disabled life as it engages with creative practice, presenting a strong culture of making that has always been central to disabled identity. In putting this show together, it is an act of joy and resistance.”
For more information and to book, visit www.vam.ac.uk.
