In fashion, early spring brings a welcome break from the barrage of runway season content. Each new year, the holidays are barely over before the men’s fashion shows begin, then comes couture, and before we know it, we’re gearing up for four full weeks of women’s ready-to-wear collections. Finally, it’s April, and while we’re looking forward to a host of stateside resort collections and the Met Gala in May, this month offers a bit of respite from usual hubbub. Meanwhile, here in New York, there are plenty of exhibitions, many of which have links to 2026’s top trends, to dress up and go see.
“Raphael: Sublime Poetry,” The Metropolitan Museum of Art
“Raphael: Sublime Poetry” at The Met is a comprehensive exhibition of more than 170 of Raffaello di Giovanni Santi’s greatest works, including paintings, drawings, and tapestries. Go for the Italian Renaissance artist’s most tender works, such as The Virgin and Child with Infant Saint John the Baptist in a Landscape, and stay for the rich depictions of solid swaths of fabric, not unlike the sumptuous colorblocking we saw on this season’s runways. Now through June 28.