A major exhibition capturing the influence of fashion through the decades is at V&A Dundee now. Catwalk: The Art of the Fashion Show, opened on Friday 3 April at Scotland’s design museum.
The Scottish city of Dundee near Fife is an underrated travel destination that has become increasingly popular with visitors in recent years. With a 2024 Scottish Tourism Economic Activity Monitor report marking a 78 per cent jump in visitors since 2014, V&A Dundee itself has welcomed over 2.5 million visitors since opening in 2018. Additionally, arts, music and entertainment venue LiveHouse Dundee opened last year – hosting both Jessie Ware and Yungblud this week – adding further travel appeal.
Setting off on a trip ahead of the exhibition opening, I took my teenage daughter for a first look, exploring Dundee at the same time. Travelling by rail, we enjoyed the beautiful, rugged coastal view charting our trip from Northumberland to Edinburgh, before changing trains and whizzing across the Tay Bridge as we arrived into Dundee.
The railway station is across the road from V&A Dundee, so you immediately spot its impressive three-storey building – which has an imposing angular shape and sits on the waterfront. It was designed by Japanese architects Kengo Kuma & Associates, and this incredible structure is the first piece of artwork visitors to the museum (and city) will see.
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Before a preview of the exhibition, Leonie Bell, director of V&A Dundee, shared more about the significance of Catwalk: “The exhibition takes us behind the scenes to meet the visionary minds, highly-skilled designers, and the many creative people who make fashion shows so mesmerising.
“It also reflects on how, alongside the clothes, hair, makeup, music and the models’ walk and attitude, society and its values have shifted – and how media and technology continue to shape the impact and influence of the fashion show.”
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The show is co-produced by V&A Dundee and Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein, Germany (where it first ran from October 2025 to February 2026). Visitors get to enjoy a mesmerising experience as the exhibition charts 125 years of fashion and catwalk history. It looks at the way societal changes are reflected in fashion, such as the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic when in-person shows temporarily became digital ones. Images by acclaimed fashion photographer Robert Fairer offer visitors a glimpse into backstage fashion show moments.
The exhibition starts with Parisian salons in the 1900s, where you’ll discover fascinating insights about the earliest fashion shows becoming theatrical events. With 350 objects on display, plus film, photography, illustrations, and more, the exhibition combines fashion show highlights from designers including Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood, Prada and Louis Vuitton.
Scotland’s prominence in the history of fashion and design is interwoven throughout the exhibition, from textiles and landscapes to creative vision. There are images of Christian Dior’s first fashion shows in Glasgow and Gleneagles in 1955, for example.
Kirsty Hassard, fashion historian and senior curator at V&A Dundee explained: “Catwalk: The Art of the Fashion Show takes visitors on an immersive journey through the history of the catwalk and its changing eras, reflecting the times they are created in.
“Scotland’s long-standing contribution to the fashion show is celebrated at V&A Dundee with runway looks from Pam Hogg, Christopher Kane, Charles Jeffrey and Nicholas Daley, along with exhibits from Chanel and Dior fashion shows influenced by and staged in Scotland.”
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The work of British hairstylist Sam McKnight and legendary makeup artist Val Garland can be seen throughout the exhibition. They spoke to us from the vibrant backstage section of the exhibition about the importance of hair and beauty to bring a look to life.
McKnight told The Independent: “I don’t think there is a fashion show or a fashion shoot without hair and makeup. Even if there are no hair and makeup artists there, you can be sure that they’ve thought about what the models are going to look like. Whatever the hair and makeup look is, it’s going to give the models the confidence to convey what the designer wants, and that’s what it’s about.”
For McKnight, who hails from Ayrshire in Scotland, this was his first time in Dundee. When we spoke about nearby places worth a visit, he shared that on his way home he will stopping in Doune near Stirling, to go to the Scottish Antique & Arts Centre. As a keen hunter of vintage treasures, too, I made a mental note to take a trip there.
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I’m almost hesitant to share too many details about Catwalk, because this enthralling show is such a delight to discover. From the original 1900s private salon notebooks to the miniature set of Chanel’s 2014 supermarket runway show, this exhibition is packed with fashion treats. There’s also a Catwalk-themed afternoon tea available to book in the museum’s Tatha Bar & Kitchen.
Another pull for fashion and design fans is The McManus art gallery in Dundee city centre, with its free Curtain Call: Costumes from Stage and Screen exhibition. Running from 7 February through to 15 November, this show highlights the work of costume designers who have a link to Dundee. There’s work on display from designers Jane Petrie, Ros Little and Alex Reid. Pieces include gowns from Royal Shakespeare Company productions, a dress worn by Claire Foy in The Crown and Meryl Streep’s costume from her role as Emmeline Pankhurst in Suffragette.
Combining design magic and creative brilliance, V&A Dundee’s Catwalk: The Art of the Fashion Show exhibition is a must visit, and the ideal opportunity to plan a trip to this Scottish city soon.
Where to stay
The Apex City Quay Hotel & Spa is located in the City Quay area. As well as being close to the V&A, concert auditoriums Caird Hall and LiveHouse Dundee are nearby.
The family-friendly four-star hotel with vibrant, modern decor has a pool, spa and gym, while its Quayside Bar & Grill offers breakfast, lunch and dinner options (with gluten-free and vegan dietary requirements well catered for). Rooms are spacious and stocked with Antipodes toiletries – they all have king-size beds and some offer views onto the City Quay or River Tay.
How to get there
A rail journey with LNER from London King’s Cross to Dundee takes just under six hours one way (requiring a change at Edinburgh), and costs from £57 for a single ticket when booked in advance.
Catwalk: The Art of the Fashion Show runs from 3 April 2026 through to 17 January 2027 at the V&A Dundee. Tickets are priced from £7-£16, and when booking in advance you will get a £2 discount (members and children are free). For more information and to book tickets, visit Vam.ac.uk/dundee
Helen was hosted by V&A Dundee and Apex City Quay Hotel & Spa
