Freddie Mercury fashion exhibition to arrive at the V&A South Kensington

The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) has announced plans to stage a free fashion exhibition dedicated to Freddie Mercury, titled Freddie Mercury | Splendid Things.

The display will mark what would have been the bisexual icon’s 80th birthday year and celebrate his career through eight costumes and looks spanning the 1970s and 1980s.

Mercury’s trail will run from 24 October 2026 to 17 January 2027 at V&A South Kensington, featuring six stops across the V&A’s permanent galleries.

V&A will spotlight Freddie Mercury’s love for art, design and fashion

V&A curator Kate Bailey said in a news release: “We are thrilled to display Freddie’s most iconic costumes at the V&A, celebrating one of the greatest performers and songwriters of all time.”

She continued: “Reflecting his love of ‘splendid things’ and his passion for art, design and fashion, Freddie will be very at home in the V&A galleries.”

The installations have been designed by V&A collaborator Tom Piper, known for his theatrical work, including productions for the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Tower of London poppies.

Mary Austin contributes to the exhibition

Mary Austin, Mercury’s former fiancée and close friend of 20 years, is lending seven of the eight looks to the V&A.

She said: “As the records became more successful and the response grew stronger, his confidence deepened and his performance settled.

“What I saw now was an artist continuously developing while the seed of who he was stayed intact. The clothes were part of that exploration. Freddie understood early on that he wasn’t just wearing clothes; he was providing an image to match the scale of the space and the vastness of the crowd.

“He was there to entertain, and everything about what he wore fed into that,” Austin added.

What does Freddie Mercury | Splendid Things include?

The costumes include looks from Queen’s early days, including Mercury’s monochrome outfit he wore on Queen’s debut album cover and the ‘Mercury Wing’ catsuit worn in the Bohemian Rhapsody video, as well as a costume from the Made in Heaven video, Mercury’s iconic crown and cloak, and personal wardrobe items.

Austin said the exhibition’s costumes are an important part of understanding Mercury on a deeper level: “As we celebrate Freddie’s legacy in what would have been his 80th year, the clothes and costumes to be displayed at the V&A tell a hugely important part of his story both on and off the stage.”

She described Mercury’s love of fashion as “essential to his performances, creative vision, and wider self-expression”, highlighting his enduring legacy.

The exhibition is free to visit and will be spread throughout the V&A’s permanent galleries.

Mercury died on 24 November 1991, aged just 45, shortly after publicly announcing that he had been diagnosed with AIDS-related bronchial pneumonia.