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22 October 2025

Helmut Lang at MAK: Rethinking Fashion’s Code

White New York City taxi roof sign displaying the black HELMUT LANG logo with the words 'Paris New York,' part of the designer’s minimalist advertising campaign from 1998–2004, now in the MAK Helmut Lang Archive.

A living archive comes to life

This December, the MAK – Museum of Applied Arts in Vienna opens HELMUT LANG. SÉANCE DE TRAVAIL 1986–2005 / Excerpts from the MAK Helmut Lang Archive (10 December 2025 – 3 May 2026). The exhibition marks the first comprehensive presentation of the Austrian-born designer's oeuvre and mindset. Based on the MAK Helmut Lang Archive — donated by the artist in 2011 — it promises to go beyond nostalgia, examining how Lang's ideas continue to shape today's intersections of fashion, art, and identity.

"The MAK archive is meant to be a 'living archive.' I hope it inspires others to have the courage to find their own voice. The past is never easier than the present; the present is always the opportunity," Helmut Lang says of his donation.

Vienna's own – yet still full of surprises

In Vienna's creative circles, many might think they know everything about Helmut Lang. Yet, the upcoming exhibition suggests otherwise. The preview indicates a wealth of new material — including the full-length video documentation of his Séance de Travail presentations — that will likely shift perceptions of Austria's most influential fashion figure in recent decades.

Between Paris, New York, and Vienna

Lang's story unfolds across continents: from his first show L'Apocalypse Joyeuse at the Centre Pompidou in 1986 to his pioneering online fashion show in 1998, years before digital fashion weeks became a norm. He redefined the runway, transforming it into a performative space where gender, age, and identity blurred. Collaborations with artists such as Jenny Holzer and Louise Bourgeois made his work resonate far beyond fashion.

The MAK exhibition reconstructs elements from Lang's iconic stores and integrates his art collaborations, underlining how his holistic approach to design remains both radical and human.


Image: Key Visual of the exhibition 'HELMUT LANG. SÉANCE DE TRAVAIL 1986–2005 / Excerpts from the MAK Helmut Lang Archive': Helmut Lang’s 'Taxi Top' (1998–2004), part of his New York advertising campaign, now preserved in the MAK Helmut Lang Archive. Photo: © MAK/Christian Mendez


Fashion.at's Quiz on Helmut Lang

Think you know Helmut Lang? Test your knowledge — and maybe discover something new.