Freddie Mercury's iconic costumes will be on display in London
Eight of Freddie Mercury’s stage outfits will be on display this fall at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Among the exhibits will be the costume from the cover of Queen’s debut album, the jumpsuit from the “Bohemian Rhapsody” music video, as well as the crown and cape the musician wore during the band’s final concert tour.
The free exhibition “Freddie Mercury: The Grandest of Things” will open on October 24, 2026, and run through January 17, 2027. The exhibition is dedicated to the 80th anniversary of the legendary Queen frontman’s birth.
The project was created in collaboration with Mary Austin, Mercury’s former fiancée. She provided seven of the eight costumes, which span various periods of his career—from the early 1970s to the final years of his life.
One of the exhibits will be the monochrome outfit Mercury wore during one of Queen’s early concerts at Imperial College London. The musician is pictured wearing this same outfit on the cover of the band’s self-titled debut album, released in 1973.
The museum will also display the “Mercury Wing” jumpsuit, created by designer Wendy de Smet. Mercury wore it during the “A Night at the Opera” tour in 1975–1976. He also wore this same outfit in Queen’s music video for the song “Bohemian Rhapsody.”
The exhibition will also include a crown and cape that designer Diana Mowley created for Queen’s 1986 “Magic Tour.” Mercury appeared in this outfit at concerts, including during the band’s performance in Nebworth in August 1986. That concert was Queen’s final live performance with Mercury.
Visitors will also see the costume from the “Made in Heaven” music video, as well as accessories and items from the musician’s personal wardrobe.
The title of the exhibition is taken from Mercury’s own words, spoken in 1978: “I like being surrounded by luxurious things. I want to lead a Victorian life amid exquisite chaos.”
Mary Austin met Mercury when she was 19 and he was 24. At the time, they were both involved in the fashion scene in London’s Kensington, particularly at the famous Biba store.
Freddie Mercury was selling his own drawings and vintage clothing in a market stall at Kensington Market at the time.
Mercury and Austin got engaged on Christmas Day 1973—the same year Queen released its debut album. In the mid-1970s, their romantic relationship ended, but they remained close friends until the musician’s death.
After Mercury’s death in 1991, Austin inherited his home, Garden Lodge in Kensington, and a significant portion of his personal belongings.
According to Austin, the clothes and stage costumes were an important part of the image Mercury created for the public.
“Clothing was part of that quest,” she said in the book *Life in Song Lyrics*, which is set to be released in September. “Freddie realized early on that he wasn’t just wearing clothes; he was creating an image that had to match the scale of the venue and the huge crowd.”
Austin also noted that the items to be displayed at the Victoria and Albert Museum tell an important part of Mercury’s story, both on and off stage.
“They were never just accessories. His costumes and clothing were an integral part of his performances, creative vision, and self-expression, carefully designed to create a lasting visual and emotional impact that has spanned several generations and is still felt today,” Austin said.
The exhibition design was created by set designer Tom Piper. The tour will consist of six separate stops. Each stop will be designed differently, using sets, sound, and lighting to recreate various stages of Mercury’s career.
Source: The Guardian.
Freddie Mercury’s secret daughter has died.
Mary Austin dispelled rumors about Freddie Mercury’s secret child — The Times.
Queen has also announced the release of an unreleased Freddie Mercury song.
