Oscar-winning costume designer, fashion illustrator, and photographer Cecil Beaton (1904–1980) was a defining visual voice of 20th-century British and American media. Known for his meticulously staged and glamorous images, Beaton captured the interwar and early post-war eras with a distinctive blend of elegance and theatricality.

This is your last chance to visit the exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in London. The first exhibition devoted entirely to his fashion and portrait photography presents over 200 items, including letters, sketches, fashion illustrations, and costumes, alongside iconic portraits of Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Marlon Brando, Queen Elizabeth II, and Princess Margaret.

While celebrated for his eye for beauty and style, Beaton’s work has faced contemporary critique for crossing personal boundaries and presenting a narrow, often idealised, view of femininity and attractiveness. The exhibition invites viewers to confront both his enduring influence and the limitations of his perspective, situating his oeuvre within the complex social and cultural codes of his time. The show is on view until 11th January 2026.

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Image: Audrey Hepburn in costume for My Fair Lady, 1963 Cecil Beaton Archive. (Image credit: Condé Nast)