Best London fashion exhibitions to see now

Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto, V&A review ★★★★★

Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto is a grand affair. Its opening at the V&A marks the beginning of the European Fashion Week season, and the hype is so high that it is sold out until December – Unsurprisingly, it is almost impossible to circulate the exhibition during the press view.

The London version of the exhibition, which first ran at Paris's Palais Galliera two years ago, has been re-imagined by the V&A.

It follows Gabrielle Chanel's career and influence in fashion, from opening her first millinery boutique in Paris in 1910 to showing her final collection in 1971.

Gucci Cosmos, 180 Strand review ★★★★★

Gucci Cosmos, the itinerant exhibition celebrating the house signatures bags and other designs from its 102-year-long history, opens in London after getting much attention in Shanghai earlier this year.

The London show, set in the brutalist basement of 180 the Strand, offers quite a unique proposition where playful sets, giant sculptures and multimedia artworks, imagined by set designer extraordinaire Es Devlin, propel the visitor into a dizzy labyrinth filled with luggage and garments drawn from Gucci's archive.

On Foot: curated by Jonathan Anderson, Offer Waterman Gallery ★★★★★

Fashion designer Jonathan Anderson, JW Anderson’s founder and Loewe's creative director, has always emphasised the close relationship between fashion and the art world.

On Foot, curated by Anderson himself, is a delightful show.

The fashion designer has transformed the rooms and corridors of the Georgian townhouse in which Offer Waterman is located into an imaginary walk-through of London that takes the visitor on a dreamy stroll.

He also presents modern British artworks from his collection – including works from Barbara Hepworth, Lucian Freud and David Hockney – ‘in dialogue’ with artworks from a new generation of international contemporary artists, from Lynette Yiadom-Boakye to Florian Krewer.

Fashion pieces from JW Anderson's latest show are also presented as a version of Anderson’s ‘pigeon clutch', designed in collaboration with British artist Anthea Hamilton.

Not to be missed.

DIVA exhibition, V&A review ★★★★★

Rihanna, Amy Winehouse, Maria Callas, Marylin Monroe, Beyoncé…

‘Divas’ are pop culture icons whose influence resonates far beyond their singing talent.

Coined in a male-dominated 19th century to describe female opera singers with ‘godsent’ voices, today, the word diva

The V&A exhibition showcases a selection of costumes worn on stage or in movies ranging from the cultish to the sublime that one discovers while listening (thanks to high-quality headphones) to the diva’s magnificent performances.

Rebel: 30 Years of London Fashion, Design Museum review ★★★★★

Rebellious London takes centre stage at the Design Museum.

Sponsored by Alexander McQueen and co-curated by Sarah Mower – the British Fashion Council’s Ambassador for Emerging Talent – the exhibition celebrates the London designers who have influenced the global fashion scene.

With some extraordinary outfits on display and the work of over 300 designers, including Simone Rocha, JW Anderson, Wales Bonner, Molly Goddard, Christopher Kane and Erdem, this exhibition is a must-see for aspiring designers.