Forget summer by the beach — this year, we'll be on the first flight to Melbourne for the National Gallery of Victoria's monumental fashion exhibition, Westwood | Kawakubo

This world-first presentation unites the groundbreaking designs of British designer Vivienne Westwood, together with Japanese designer Rei Kawakubo of Commes des Garçons. Born just a year apart in opposing cultural contexts, both Westwood and Kawakubo are renowned for their subversive, radical collections, which have cemented them as visionaries in their respective fields. Now, the NGV will celebrate their resounding contributions to fashion, in a show-stopping display of innovative and ground-breaking design.

Set across five provocative themes — Punk and Provocation, Rupture, Reinvention, The Body: Freedom and Restraint, and The Power of Clothes — the exhibition presents over 140 garments, including rare archive pieces and new acquisitions from global institutions like The Met, the V&A, and private collections, as well as nearly 40 works recently gifted to the NGV by Comme des Garçons especially for this exhibition.

Across each of the distinct themes, key highlights include (but certainly aren't limited to) quintessentially punk 1970s designs, including outfits worn by The Sex Pistols; Westwood’s tartan gown from her Anglomania collection  famously modeled by Kate Moss; and Kawakubo’s 2017 Met Gala petal dress, worn by Rihanna.

Tony Ellwood AM, Director of the NGV, said,  ‘This exhibition celebrates two leading female fashion designers from different cultural backgrounds, who both had strong creative spirits and pushed boundaries. Through more than 140 designs from the NGV Collection and key international loans, Westwood | Kawakubo invites audiences to reflect on the enduring legacies of these groundbreaking designers and contemplate the ways in which fashion can be a vehicle for self-expression and freedom."

For those looking to memorialise the experience, the exhibition will also be accompanied by a world-first publication, also titled Westwood | Kawakubo, which explores the intersecting histories of Westwood and Kawakubo with new reflections from industry experts including Jane Mulvaugh, Valerie Steele, Stephen Jones, Akiko Fukai and Dame Zandra Rhodes.

How and when to see Westwood | Kawakubo

Westwood | Kawakubo is a ticketed exhibition, running from 7 December 2025 to 19 April 2026 at the NGV in Melbourne. Tickets are available online now.