A Barbican exhibition brings fashion and literature together through garments, manuscripts and designs inspired by literary characters. Jane Austen, Virginia Woolf, James Baldwin and Mary Shelley are among the writers featured.
Characters of Fashion explores the connections between fashion and literature through garments, accessories, manuscripts and correspondence. The exhibition brings together literary figures including Jane Austen, Virginia Woolf, James Baldwin and Mary Shelley, alongside designs inspired by characters such as Orlando, Frankenstein and Dracula.
Admission prices have not yet been announced; tickets are expected to go on sale in spring. The Grade II-listed Barbican is also worth exploring for its Brutalist architecture and free public spaces; its Conservatory is a separate free, ticketed visit when open.
Dates
Thursday 15 April 2027
– 29 August 2027