A major exhibition in London in 2026 will reveal how the nineties shaped fashion and subculture

Here comes an unpopular opinion. Although I was born in the nineties, I never felt a particular connection to that decade. Maybe because, as a child, I still saw all those global phenomena through a blur, from supermodels and fashion icons to the clubbing and rave subculture, video games, Tarantino films and blockbusters like Titanic. Entering the fashion industry was crucial for shifting my perspective. After all, how can one talk about fashion without talking about Vivienne Westwood’s punk aesthetics, heroin chic, denim and logo mania, McQueen’s theatrical and avant garde beginnings, or the famous big five, all those references that defined the nineties.

As an homage to this transformative decade of bold creativity and rebellious energy, Tate Modern has announced an exhibition titled The 90s, set to open on October 1, 2026. You have plenty of time to plan your trip to London.

Led by Edward Enninful OBE, one of the most influential voices in fashion and culture, the exhibition will explore the key moments that reshaped British identity after the end of the Cold War. As Britain began emerging from recession, a new era of optimism, freedom and rebellion unfolded, embodied by a new generation of diverse creative talents.

A sense of limitless possibility sparked a fusion of art, design, fashion and music into a single powerful cultural force, marking a bold revival of the British spirit. The exhibition will examine how long standing hierarchies were dismantled, how high art and pop culture influenced one another, and highlight the lasting impact of the key figures who emerged during this period.

Among the works on view will be iconic photographs by Juergen Teller, Nick Knight and Corinne Day, capturing the bold and unruly spirit of the time. Alongside these photographs, the exhibition will showcase works by Damien Hirst, Gillian Wearing and Yinka Shonibare, whose pieces reflect the witty and unconventional atmosphere of the era. It will also spotlight pivotal fashion collections by designers such as Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen and Hussein Chalayan, whose groundbreaking work defined the visual language of the decade.