Fashion Museum Bath’s world-leading collection shines in local and international exhibitions

A pair of gloves belonging to King James I and an exquisite silver and gold embroidered court dress designed at the dawn of Haute Couture are some of the extraordinary items from Fashion Museum Bath’s Collection to be seen around the world in leading exhibitions this summer.

Recognised as one of the world’s most significant fashion collections, the Fashion Museum Bath Collection spans five centuries of fashion—from the late 16th-century to today. From couture artistry to everyday dressmaking, the Collection celebrates clothing as an expression of creativity, culture and identity.

Though the Museum is currently closed to visitors while it undergoes an ambitious transformation and relocation to a new home in the centre of Bath, its global lending programme continues to connect this remarkable collection with audiences worldwide. In 2024 alone, over 1.2 million people viewed pieces from the Collection on loan.

Garments from the museum can be seen in prestigious exhibitions in Paris, London, Edinburgh, and across the UK—underscoring the relevance and enduring influence of the Fashion Museum Bath Collection.

Image: Fashion Museum Bath

Elisabeth Murray, Senior Curator at Fashion Museum Bath comments: “It is a pleasure to be working with local, national, and international museums on such an exciting exhibitions programme for 2025. Our loans-out programme provides the wonderful opportunity for people to see, enjoy, and be inspired by our extraordinary Collection. Each item has a unique story to tell, and it is a delight to match these pieces up with some of this year’s most important exhibitions.”

Designed to be worn at royal courts, on the beach or in the garden, this summer’s loans span from the early 1600s to the 2oth century—demonstrating the breadth and significance of Fashion Museum Bath’s Collection. Their versatility is reflected in the wide range of exhibitions they’ll appear in this year, as pieces from the Collection travel from Bath to the following museums and galleries:

Petit Palais & Galliera, Paris, France:

• Two exquisite couture dresses designed by the House of Worth are taking a starring role in the much-anticipated exhibition Worth, Inventing haute couture (on now until 7 September). Established in Paris in 1858, Worth was founded by English designer Charles Frederick Worth. Often referred to as the ‘father of haute couture’ Worth is known for his pioneering design and business practices, including ‘inventing’ the fashion show.  Worth’s impressive international client list included Empress Eugenie, and Mary Curzon, Baroness Curzon of Kedleston, who both of the Fashion Museum Bath pieces were created for around 1903: a cream silk court dress adorned with silver and gold embroidery and diamantés, and a yellow silk evening gown embroidered with an oak leaf design.

National Galleries of Scotland: Portrait Gallery, Edinburgh:

• A pair of elaborately embroidered brown leather gloves once owned by King James I, alongside a 17th-century multi-coloured embroidered women’s waistcoat, appear in The World of King James VI & I at the National Galleries of Scotland: Portrait Gallery (25 April – 25 September). This is the first exhibition in five decades dedicated to the monarch’s life, reign, and court.

The Garden Museum, London, UK:

• Cecil Beaton’s Garden Party (14 May – 21 September) includes a hat worn by Beaton himself and a silk dress worn by actress Wendy Hiller featuring his hand-painted ivy-leaf design. 

Across the UK:

• Polesden Lacey, National Trust, Surrey: Dress to Impress (1 May – 2 November) explores the politics and symbolism of dress. Pieces from Bath include an 18th-century blue silk waistcoat with military-style gold embroidery. 
• Dorset Museum & Art Gallery, Dorset: Jane Austen: Down to the Sea (14 June – 14 September), marking the 250th anniversary of Austen’s birth, will explore seaside leisure through the lens of Regency fashion. The exhibition will include early 19th-century dresses, menswear, and hands-on replica garments from the Fashion Museum Bath collection.

As Fashion Museum Bath prepares to reopen in its future home, these loans continue to connect its remarkable Collection with audiences across the world—ensuring its stories and styles continue to inspire.

Councillor Paul Roper, Cabinet Member for Economic & Cultural Sustainable Development, Bath & North East Somerset Council, said: “The Fashion Museum Bath collection is an incredible time capsule of fashion history and a real asset to the city. As we work towards a flagship new home for the museum it is particularly exciting to see that this collection continues to inspire through loans out to other museums. Working with such high-profile cultural organisations puts Bath firmly on the fashion map.”