Tate Britain opened the exhibition The 90s: Art and Fashion on October 8, 2026, presenting the first major survey dedicated to the decade’s art, photography and fashion. Curated by Edward Enninful OBE, who drew on his own experiences as a young fashion director at i-D magazine during the period, the show assembles more than 100 works to highlight a time of optimism and bold experimentation. The display features nearly 70 artists, photographers and designers whose output helped forge a new cultural identity for Britain, according to the institution’s press release. It remains on view until February 14, 2027, with daily opening hours from 10:00 to 18:00.
Following years of economic uncertainty in the 1980s, a new generation of British creatives embraced imperfection and a resourceful do-it-yourself attitude that the exhibition places at its core. Photography by Corinne Day, Nigel Shafran and Juergen Teller captured an emerging anti-fashion grunge aesthetic for publications including i-D and Dazed & Confused, helping define the era’s visual language. The show opens with these images to establish the decade’s rejection of polished consumerism in favor of realness and spontaneity, a shift documented across multiple sections. Tate Britain noted that this approach reflected broader societal changes as young talent seized new opportunities.
Club culture and electronic music form another key focus, with images recording the explosion of acid house, free parties and drum and bass scenes that energized the decade. Photographs by Dave Swindells, Peter J. Walsh, Tony Davis and Normski capture ravers at events such as the Eclipse in Coventry and DJ Goldie performing at the Blue Note club in London. These works sit alongside Mark Leckey’s 1999 video Fiorucci Made Me Hardcore, which traces British dance music from the 1970s into the 1990s. The exhibition uses this material to illustrate how music subcultures influenced fashion, art and social life.
Social and political realities of the period receive significant attention through pieces addressing the AIDS crisis, racial injustice and questions of identity. Chris Ofili’s 1998 Turner Prize-winning painting No Woman, No Cry, a tribute to Stephen Lawrence and his mother Doreen, appears alongside works by Hamad Butt that responded to the ongoing impact of AIDS. Yinka Shonibare’s The Swing (after Fragonard) from 2001 reinterprets an 18th-century scene using Dutch wax fabric to explore cultural hybridity and colonialism. Steve McQueen’s 1993 film Bear and his 1999 work Pink Nails further expand the examination of the era’s complexities.
Fashion takes center stage with garments and archival material from leading designers who emerged or peaked during the 1990s. Alexander McQueen’s Joan of Arc collection from autumn-winter 1998 is shown together with pieces by Vivienne Westwood, John Galliano and Hussein Chalayan, highlighting their influence on both runway and street style. Iconic portraits include Sean Ellis’s 1998 image of McQueen styled by Isabella Blow, presented as The Dark Knight Returns. These items demonstrate how fashion intersected with art and music to capture the decade’s audacious spirit.
Tickets for the exhibition are priced at £22 for adults, £20 for concessions and £5 for Tate Collective members aged 16 to 25, with free entry for Tate members. The venue at Millbank in London also offers relaxed hours on the third Wednesday of each month and extended opening until 22:00 on selected Fridays. Additional audio guides featuring comments from Enninful, curators and participating artists are available to provide further context for visitors. A related press release distributed by Tate outlined these practical details alongside the show’s thematic ambitions.
