Melbourne is preparing for an ambitious moment on its cultural calendar, with the NGV set to unveil a world-premiere exhibition celebrating Vivienne Westwood and Rei Kawakubo. Both designers reshaped fashion through ideas that challenged convention, and the NGV is positioning this major show as a defining feature of Victoria’s summer program.
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos joined NGV Director Tony Ellwood for an early look at the exhibition, which opens on 7 December. Secured by the Victorian Government, the show will bring nearly 150 pieces together from the NGV’s own holdings, international museums and private collections. The gallery has also received more than 40 recent Comme des Garçons works, strengthening its already substantial fashion archive.
Westwood and Kawakubo share an unconventional path into fashion, having taught themselves rather than emerging from formal institutions. Their work pushed back against expectations surrounding gender, beauty and the purpose of clothing, which is partly why their influence continues to ripple through the industry. Presenting them side by side offers a chance to compare two minds that disrupted the status quo in very different ways.
Families will find plenty to explore too, with a free children’s exhibition titled Let’s Party: NGV Fashion for Kids. It draws on the gallery’s Fashion and Textile Collection and encourages young visitors to create their own designs and even try their hand at fashion photography. The NGV regularly pairs major headline exhibitions with children’s experiences, and this year follows that established approach.
The timing of Westwood | Kawakubo is part of a wider push to anchor Victoria’s summer with a heavy mix of sport, art and live events. The state is preparing for Rory McIlroy’s appearance at the Australian Open Golf, the Boxing Day Ashes Test, the Australian Open tennis, the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, Good Charlotte’s Bendigo performance and the Melbourne Fashion Festival. Cultural institutions and sporting bodies alike are being positioned as part of a unified offering intended to draw domestic and international visitors.
Minister Dimopoulos said the exhibition allows Victorians to access globally influential fashion with ease, adding that events like this support jobs and wider economic activity. Minister for Creative Industries Colin Brooks pointed to the NGV’s track record in fashion programming, noting its large and steadily expanding collection.
Local representatives have also welcomed the announcement. Member for Albert Park Nina Taylor highlighted the concentration of arts organisations in the area, describing the exhibition as an addition to an already dense cultural precinct. NGV Director Tony Ellwood said the exhibition invites visitors to reflect on how both designers shaped ideas of self-expression and freedom.
Visit Victoria CEO Brendan McClements said Westwood | Kawakubo is expected to be a highlight in what is shaping up to be another crowded events year, alongside the Australian Open, the Melbourne Fashion Festival, Melbourne Food and Wine Festival, A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond musical and the NFL Melbourne Game.
Westwood | Kawakubo will run at NGV International from 7 December 2025 to 19 April 2026. Further details and ticketing information are available here.
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