Frida Kahlo’s Wardrobe To Be The Subject Of The V&A’s Next Fashion Exhibition
The Mexican artist was widely considered to be a style icon
Frida Kahlo will be the star of the V&A’s next fashion exhibition. The Mexican painter was renowned for her colourful wardrobe and was widely considered a style icon during her lifetime – and still is today.
The exhibition – which will open in September 2018 – will feature jewellery, photographs and letters that have never been seen outside Mexico, alongside clothes and paintings. The belongings were found in the Blue House in Mexico City, the home she shared with fellow artist Diego Rivera.
“The V&A will present the first exhibition to be held outside Mexico of Kahlo’s clothing and personal possessions, including prosthetics, medicines, accessories, jewellery, photographs and letters,” the V&A said today. “These were discovered in the Blue House in 2004 following the opening up of cupboards and storerooms which had remained sealed for fifty years.”
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Although Kahlo passed away in 1954, her style has continued to inspire. Stars including Beyoncé (who even dressed up as her for Halloween once) have credited her bold approach to dressing as inspiration – and at times, she has been a point of influence for designers including Riccardo Tisci, Dolce & Gabbana and Jean Paul Gaultier. Also, the artist was honoured in a biopic in 2002, where she was played by Salma Hayek.
“This groundbreaking exhibition will explore the development of Kahlo’s style as an amalgam of traditional Mexican garments, fashion from Europe and beyond, and demonstrate how her wardrobe was expressive of the complex relationship between her Mexican and Western heritage,” the V&A continued.
The news comes just one day after the museum announced that it would be putting on an exhibition from this December about the inspiration behind the most popular fictional character of all time, Winne-the-Pooh.
The currently unnamed exhibition will run from June 16 – November 4 at the V&A.