It’s becoming more common to build holidays around specific events and exhibitions. For fashion enthusiasts these exhibitions are the perfect excuse to plan a cultural getaway …
What: Tom Kublin For Balenciaga, Museo Christobal Balenciaga, Getaria, Spain
This exhibition explores the relationship between the Spanish fashion designer Christobal Balenciaga and the Hungarian photographer Tom Kublin. Balenciaga’s genius lay in the cut. The sack dress, the balloon dress, the kimono-sleeve coat and a collar cut to elongate the neck were a few of his fashion innovations. He believed: “No woman can make herself chic if she is not chic herself.” Central to his allure, were Kublin’s experimental ways of capturing Balenciaga’s fashion in motion. With over 100 photographs and five films, the exhibition runs until October 30; www.cristobalbalenciagamuseum.com.
Where to stay: Villa Favorita, San Sebastian
The Balenciaga museum is just 25km from San Sebastian, (accessible from Biarritz airport) so ideal for a day trip. Stay at Villa Favorita, of which the designer is sure to have approved with its old school elegance. The boutique hotel also has a Michelin-starred restaurant, Amelia by Paul Airaudo. Do book one of the rooms overlooking La Concha bay and pack some glamorous kaftans for promenade walks at sunset. Steal packing tips from Balenciaga who believed that elimination was the secret of chic – less is more; www.hotelvillafavorita.com.
What: Shocking! The Surreal World of Elsa Schiaparelli, Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris
Couturier Elsa Schiaparelli’s smart, sophisticated, witty clothes took the Parisian fashion world by storm when she designed between the two World Wars. Taking a cue from Surrealism, her creations were hugely imaginative and made use of innovative new materials. She also commissioned some of the best artists of the period such as Man Ray, Jean Cocteau, and Salvador Dalí, with whom she created a lobster dress – to design fabrics and embroideries for her. Alongside vintage photographs, sketches and contemporary features from Harper’s Bazaar and Vogue, over 100 garments and accessories are included in the exhibition which runs until January 22, 2023; www.madparis.fr.
Where to stay: L’Hotel, 13, rue des Beaux-Arts, Paris
Once you get over the initial confusion when telling the taxi driver you’re going to L’Hotel (lequel? L’hotel!), it’s well worth staying in this gorgeous Jacques Garcia-designed boutique hotel. I’ve stayed twice, though not in the room where Oscar Wilde spent his last days (Room 16). I think Schiaparelli would have approved of the eclectic design with its riot of silks, patterns, and motifs from baroque to leopard print, as well as Jean Cocteau drawings. The bonus is there’s a private underground pool, and you’re on the Left Bank – try the surreal Germain café (which has a giant pair of yellow legs bursting through its ceiling); www.l-hotel.com.
What: Tiffany & Co: Vision & Virtuosity, Saatchi Gallery, London
Marking the 150th anniversary of the iconic jewellery brand’s arrival in the UK, the “Vision & Virtuosity” exhibition features seven chapters, with over 400 objects from the House’s archives, exploring separate themes that are central to Tiffany’s brand identity, heritage and creative influence. There’s a space dedicated to some of the brand’s creative forces such as Jean Schlumberger and Elsa Peretti, and of course one whole space is devoted to Breakfast at Tiffany’s. The piece de resistance, the legendary 128.54-carat Tiffany Diamond, is also on display. The exhibition ends on August 19; www.saatchigallery.com.
Where to stay: Beaverbrook Town House, Sloane Street, London
One of London’s newest hotels, this is a short stroll from the Saatchi Gallery in chic Chelsea. Interiors by Nicola Harding include her signature playful palettes (rooms are named after a different London theatre) and pay homage to Winston Churchill’s pal Lord Beaverbrook, an exuberant character, who hosted A-lister soirees (no doubt many of his guests wore Tiffany jewels). In situ, there’s a real gem of a Japanese restaurant – The Fuji Grill – which serves an “omakase” menu comprising 20 courses; www.beaverbrooktownhouse.co.uk.
What: “Fashion Week: A New Era”, Fashion for Good Museum, Amsterdam
This year, the fashion week schedule starts from September 9 in New York and rolls out to London, Milan and Paris thereafter. Despite an hiatus during the pandemic, this annual event has a major impact on the fashion industry and on our own wardrobes. “Fashion Week: A New Era” unpacks the event, delving into its past, present and future. There’s a chance to see historic looks from the runways of Balenciaga, Versace, Moschino and discover the innovative work of Dutch fashion designer Ronald van der Kemp and digital fashion house The Fabricant. Until September 25; www.fashionforgood.com.
Where to stay: The Dylan, Amsterdam
Period charm, a prime location and premium restaurants combine at The Dylan hotel. Located on the picturesque Keizersgracht canal in the heart of the Nine Streets shopping area, the 40-room boutique hotel marries old world charm and contemporary flair. On site, guests have a relaxed brasserie, Occo, and a Michelin-starred Restaurant Vinkeles; www.dylanamsterdam.com.
In America: An Anthology of American Fashion, The Costume Institute at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York
“Part two, In America: An Anthology of Fashion” features women’s and men’s historical and contemporary dress dating from the 18th century, presented in a series of vignettes. Three-dimensional cinematic “freeze frames” produced in collaboration with American film directors explore the role of dress in shaping American identity and address the complex and layered histories of the rooms. The exhibition will run until September 5; www.metmuseum.org.
Where to stay: The Grayson, Manhattan, New York
Another one of New York’s many new hotels, The Grayson is adjacent to Bryant Park (where fashion weeks have unfolded). The hotel claims to have “one-of-a-kind rooftop views of the rivers, Times Square and The Edge at Hudson Yards.” That sounds good, as does the al fresco wine and mezze bar, an outdoor Mexican taqueria and a rooftop mezcal bar; www.graysonhotel.com.
What: Knot Bind Gesture Bend, National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin
“Knot Bind Gesture Bend” is an exhibition of new work by Irish artist and designer Richard Malone, and his response to the Gallery’s summer show “Giacometti: From Life”. The resulting installation presents work centring ideas of queerness, class, place and otherness. Malone also explores the limitations of language, gesture and symbolism and has used techniques such as knotting, binding, weaving, building and mark-making, in materials such as silk, clay, foam, wire, paint and steel to fill the Gallery’ Millenium Wing Studio. The exhibition runs until September 4; www.nationalgallery.ie.
Where to stay: Arthaus, Dublin
A short stroll from the Gallery, the boutique hotel is the perfect space for visitors to extend an art-themed trip. The current two night midweek break includes breakfast each morning and tickets to the Giacometti exhibition, from €233 per person sharing. Add a third night and receive 20 per cent off your stay. Offer valid until August 31; www.arthausdublin.ie.
