1. A crowd at NGV Friday Nights in the garden
    Photograph: Tobias Titz
  2. People dancing in front of a DJ booth.
    Photograph: Wild Hardt
  3. A person looking a 'petal dress' at the NGV.
    Photograph: Eugene Hyland
  4. A crowd at NGV Friday Nights
    Photograph: Michael Pham
  5. A crowd sitting in front of a stage listening to a musican.
    Photograph: Michael Pham

NGV Friday Nights | Westwood | Kawakubo

Art, drinks, tunes and dinner – what more could you ask for? Oh, Vivienne Westwood and Rei Kawakubo, actually.
  • Things to do, Exhibitions
  • NGV International, Southbank
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Time Out says

Whack on something striking and dust off your dancing shoes as the much-loved NGV Friday Nights returns to dazzle Melburnians this summer.

Every Friday night, NGV will open its doors after hours to show-off the gallery's coolest new kid: Westwood | Kawakubo, an epic exhibition tracing five decades of radical self expression through the eyes of two of fashion's most trailblazing designers: Vivienne Westwood and Rei Kawakubo, the visionary behind Comme des Garçons. 

Opening on December 7 at the NGV, Westwood | Kawakubo will showcase more than 140 boundary-breaking designs. Many are drawn from the NGV’s own holdings – an extraordinary cache of 300-plus Kawakubo pieces and more than 100 by Westwood – making this one of the most important showcases of their work anywhere in the world. 

The exhibition will be arranged thematically, moving from punk’s anarchic spirit in the 1970s to the avant-garde silhouettes of today. Expect explorations of their shared obsessions with historical dress, radical cutting techniques and subversions of gender norms, alongside rare runway footage, archival photography and film.
From December 7, 2025 through to April 19, 2026, you can take an after-dark journey through the annals of fashion history and radical cultural expansion. But, in addition to the art, spend your Friday evening enjoying time out at one of Melbourne's most beloved late-night attractions. 

Grab a bubbly from the Moët and Chandon Champagne Bar, sink a signature summery cocktail at the Four Pillars Bar, or taste a Yarra Valley wine from the Yering Station Wine Bar. There will also be share-style snacks floating around, and a pop-up Häagen-Dazs Ice Cream Cart, because, obviously.

Eclectic live music and epic performances will also be popping off in the gallery every Friday, with renowned Aussie DJ's like Breaking and Entering, Adriana, DJ Manchild, YO! Mafia and Small Fry all set to light up the stage with some cool sets. Expect nostalgic '70's, '80's and '90's classics combined with dancey summery tunes, all made to reflect the wild energy of both Westwood and Kawakubo's universes. 

Also, hot tip. Pop Friday, January 30 into your diary, because NGV Nights is collabing for one night with Midsumma, Australia's leading queer arts and culture organisation. As part of Midsumma Festival, the exhibition halls will be taken over for one night with roving performers and a stellar line-up of LGBTQIA+ DJ's. 

For the full line-up of talent on each Friday night for the next few months, check out their website.

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Keen for more? These are the best exhibitions in Melbourne this month.

Details

Address
NGV International
180 St Kilda Rd
Melbourne
3006
Transport:
Nearby stations: Flinders Street
Price:
$44-$50
Opening hours:
6-10pm

Dates and times

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