19 January 2026  A strong year and clear direction for 2026Fashion.at attended today's annual press conference at the Museum of Applied Arts (MAK) in Vienna. The event took place in the Columned Main Hall at the museum's headquarters on Stubenring. MAK Director Lilli Hollein opened the conference with a review of the past year and a preview of the 2026 program.According to Hollein, the MAK recorded a total of 201,169 visitors in 2025 across all locations, including its branches in Brtnice and Los Angeles—an increase of over 15 percent compared to the previous year. This increase was supported by more than 100 public events. One of the strongest audience responses was seen at the recently opened exhibition HELMUT LANG. SÉANCE DE TRAVAIL, which has already exceeded 20,000 visitors—a remarkable result by international museum standards. The exhibition runs until 3 May 2026. Fashion, textiles, and lifestyle remain key themes in the MAK's exhibition strategy for the coming year, continuing the museum's focus on applied arts as a reflection of social and cultural change. Dialogues between collections: jewelry, fashion, and designOne of the central highlights of the 2026 program is the exhibition:◆ GLANZSTÜCKE – Van Cleef & Arpels: High Jewelry × Masterpieces from the MAK Collection MAK Exhibition Hall, 10 June – 27 September 2026 The exhibition brings together two major collections in a carefully curated dialogue: rare objects from the MAK Collection and iconic pieces from the Van Cleef & Arpels patrimonial collection. Rather than presenting jewelry in isolation, the exhibition creates visual and conceptual connections—for example between designs of the Wiener Werkstätte and internationally known creations such as the Zip necklace by Van Cleef & Arpels. The exhibition text emphasizes shared values such as craftsmanship, material innovation, and design thinking across time. According to the annual program, the exhibition is designed as a thematic journey and can be visited until 27 September 2026. Textiles Between Art and TechnologyTextiles form another important focus within the 2026 program, positioned between historical craftsmanship and contemporary artistic practice.◆ URSI FÜRTLER – Textile—Abstract MAK Forum, 18 March – 14 June 2026 This exhibition presents textile works by Austrian artist Ursi Fürtler, whose practice connects modern abstraction with traditional textile techniques. Spatial installations and experimental use of materials highlight textiles as an artistic medium rather than purely decorative objects. Closely connected is the new permanent presentation: ◆ MAK Permanent Collection: Textiles and Carpets from 25 March 2026 The MAK's internationally significant textiles and carpets collection will be newly staged by Studio Formafantasma from Milan. Conservatorially sensitive objects—from medieval textiles to Persian and Mamluk carpets—are presented through multiple perspectives, including technology, geography, trade, and cultures. The new display allows visitors to understand textiles not only as aesthetic objects, but also as carriers of cultural exchange and global history. Historic Collections Revisited Through Contemporary ArtContinuing the MAK's long-standing practice of presenting its historic collections through contemporary artistic perspectives, a major reinstallation opens early in the year:◆ VIENNA 1900—Everyday. A Total Work of Art MAK Permanent Collection, from 25 February 2026 Developed in collaboration with contemporary artist Markus Schinwald, the presentation moves away from a strictly chronological display. Instead, it creates thematic connections between historical objects and present-day artistic perspectives. Collaboration with artists has a long tradition at the MAK, rooted in earlier initiatives that redefined how permanent collections can be experienced. The exploration of design history through artistic perspectives continues with the exhibition by Anna Viebrock, this time focusing on its social and political dimensions. ◆ Anna Viebrock – BEFORE DARK Viennese Interior Design in the Interwar Period MAK Exhibition Hall, 16 December 2026 – 2 May 2027 This exhibition is expected to be particularly relevant for visitors interested in design history through a socially critical and historical lens. Stage designer Anna Viebrock creates an immersive installation based on interiors from the interwar period. The exhibition also brings long-overdue visibility to numerous women designers, including Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky, Ella Briggs, Friedl Dicker, Jutta Sika, Liane Zimbler, Maria Likarz, and Vally Wieselthier. Focus on women artists at the MAKThe MAK continues its strong commitment to highlighting women in design and art.◆ VALLY WIESELTHIER – Ceramic Sculptor Central Room MAK Design Lab, 29 April 2026 – 10 January 2027 The exhibition traces Wieselthier's career in Europe and the United States, where she lived and worked from 1928 onward. It presents ceramic sculptures and archival material that underline her importance within the Wiener Werkstätte and beyond. Internationally, this focus extends to New York: ◆ WOMEN OF THE WIENER WERKSTÄTTE Jewish Museum, New York, 17 July – 15 November 2026 The exhibition, developed in cooperation with the MAK, highlights Jewish women artists of the Wiener Werkstätte, many of whom emigrated to the United States. It is based on extensive research from the MAK archive. OutlookThis overview represents only a selection of notable dates from the MAK's 2026 program. The breadth of exhibitions underlines the museum's ambition to connect historical collections with contemporary questions—making the MAK a relevant destination for fashion, textile, and design discourse well beyond Vienna.Image: MAK Director Lilli Hollein presenting the museum’s annual program during the 2026 press conference in Vienna. Photo: © MAK/Christian Mendez |