New Delhi: London is bracing itself for another wave of pilgrims sporting flared trousers and platform boots, but this time they are headed not for the O2 Arena, but for the Victoria and Albert Museum. The V&A will display eight of Freddie Mercury’s most iconic costumes this October, running until 17 January 2027 and offering visitors a glimpse into the Queen frontman’s wardrobe.
The Freddie Mercury/Splendid Things will open on 24 October, marking what would have been the singer’s 80th birthday. The exhibition is set to be structured as a trail, rather than a conventional single-room display—promising to lean fully into Mercury’s legacy as an artist and fashion connoisseur. Seven of the eight costumes on display have been lent by Mary Austin, Mercury’s former fiancée, lifelong friend and the keeper of much of his personal archive.
Austin worked with the museum closely in shaping the trail. Among the pieces on display will be the crown and cloak Mercury wore during his final stage appearance in 1986, the iconic “Mercury Wing” catsuit from the ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ music video, and a monochrome outfit worn during an early Queen performance that has even featured on the band’s debut album cover.
The exhibition attempts to capture Mercury’s larger-than-life persona and explore his life beyond the stage and studio. His personal style oscillated between captivating an audience in a simple white vest and jeans one moment, and then appearing in leotards and theatrical regalia in the second act. He moved between two worlds, and that had been much of his life.
The display gets its name from a 1978 remark by Mercury: “I like to be surrounded by splendid things. I want to lead a Victorian life surrounded by exquisite clutter.”
And the V&A plans to do just that, exhibit his raw energy instead of the stillness museums are often known for. The exhibition has also been designed by Tom Piper, the stage designer behind the V&A’s Taylor Swift | Songbook Trail. These curatorial choices reflect the museum’s growing appetite for pop-rock costume as a recurring curatorial culture, especially after the V&A’S Bowie retrospective was widely loved by museum-goers and music lovers alike.
“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. 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,” said Kate Bailey, Senior Curator of Theatre and Performance at the V&A.
The exhibition is fitting for a man who would have wanted to be remembered through fabulousness and glamour, rather than manuscripts and static memorabilia.
“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. Never mere accoutrements, his costumes and clothes were essential to his performances, creative vision, and wider self-expression, carefully designed to create a lasting visual and emotional impact that has reached across the generations and still reverberates today”, said Mary Austin in a statement.
(Edited by Insha Jalil Waziri)