Cecil Beaton’s Fashionable World at the National Portrait Gallery

Photo: npg.org.uk

The National Portrait Gallery will be entering the glamorous world of Cecil Beaton, highlighting his ground-breaking fashion work which laid the foundation for all his later successes.

The multi-talented 'King of Vogue' was an extraordinary force in the interwar and early post-war eras, helping to elevate fashion photography into an art form by capturing the beauty, glamour and sophistication of the world's most famous stars.

By the time of his death in 1980 his extraordinary career would encompass time as a Royal photographer for the House of Windsor, a war reporter on the Western Desert campaign, and a celebrated stretch as an Oscar-winning costume designer for the stage and screen. He also became a noted social caricaturist through his diaries and writings.

This exhibition will explore the lasting impact he had on culture and style from the Jazz Age and high fashion of the 1950s, through to his Oscar-winning success during the Golden Age of Hollywood.

How to get to the National Portrait Gallery

Oyster Visitor Oyster Contactless Travelcards Child fares Senior fares

Bus and train fares to National Portrait Gallery

Fare zone	Cash	Oyster & Contactless				Travelcard
	Single fare	Single fare		Daily cap		One day
		Peak	Off-peak	Peak	Off-peak	Any­time	Off-peak
Bus (all zones)	n/a	£1.75		£5.25		£6
Train (zone 1)	£7	£2.90	£2.80	£8.90	£8.90	£16.60(zone 1-4)	£16.60(zone 1-6)
Train (zone 1-2)	£7	£3.50	£2.90	£8.90	£8.90
Train (zone 1-3)	£7	£3.80	£3.10	£10.50	£10.50
Train (zone 1-4)	£7	£4.60	£3.40	£12.80	£12.80
Train (zone 1-5)	£7	£5.20	£3.60	£15.30	£15.30	£23.60(zone 1-6)
Train (zone 1-6)	£7	£5.80*	£3.80*	£16.30	£16.30
* Journeys between zone 1 and Heathrow are always charged at the peak rate. Prices are correct as of 2nd March 2025

Bus No.3, 6, 9, 11, 13, 15, 23, 24, 87, 91, 139 and 176 all stop near the National Portrait Gallery. The closest train station is Charing Cross Bakerloo Northern. Plan your journey from Bank, Earl’s Court, Euston, King’s Cross St. Pancras, Liverpool Street, London Bridge, Marylebone, Paddington, Victoria, Waterloo or another station:

Acton TownAldgateAldgate EastAll SaintsAngelArchwayArsenalBaker StreetBalhamBankBarbicanBarons CourtBayswaterBecktonBeckton ParkBelsize ParkBermondseyBethnal GreenBlackfriarsBlackhorse RoadBlackwallBond StreetBoroughBounds GreenBow ChurchBow RoadBrent CrossBrixtonBromley-By-BowCaledonian RoadCamden TownCanada WaterCanary WharfCanning TownCannon StreetChalk FarmChancery LaneChiswick ParkClapham CommonClapham NorthClapham SouthColliers WoodCovent GardenCrossharbourCustom HouseCutty SarkCyprusDeptford BridgeDevons RoadDollis HillEaling BroadwayEaling CommonEarl’s CourtEast ActonEast FinchleyEast HamEast IndiaEast PutneyEdgware Road (B)Edgware Road (C)Elephant & CastleElverson RoadEmbankmentEustonEuston SquareFarringdonFinchley RoadFinsbury ParkFulham BroadwayGallions ReachGloucester RoadGolders GreenGoldhawk RoadGoodge StreetGreat Portland StreetGreen ParkGreenwichGunnersburyHammersmithHampsteadHanger LaneHarlesdenHeathrow T4Heathrow T5Heathrow T2&3Hendon CentralHeron QuaysHigh Street KensingtonHighbury & IslingtonHighgateHolbornHolland ParkHolloway RoadHyde Park CornerIsland GardensKenningtonKensal GreenKensington (Olympia)Kentish TownKew GardensKilburnKilburn ParkKing George VKing’s Cross St. PancrasKnightsbridgeLadbroke GroveLambeth NorthLancaster GateLangdon ParkLatimer RoadLeicester SquareLewishamLeytonLeytonstoneLimehouseLiverpool StreetLondon BridgeLondon City AirportMaida ValeManor HouseMansion HouseMarble ArchMaryleboneMile EndMonumentMoorgateMornington CrescentMudchuteNeasdenNew CrossNew Cross GateNorth ActonNorth EalingNorth GreenwichNorthfieldsNotting Hill GateOld StreetOvalOxford CircusPaddingtonPark RoyalParsons GreenPiccadilly CircusPimlicoPlaistowPontoon DockPoplarPrince RegentPudding Mill LanePutney BridgeQueen’s ParkQueenswayRavenscourt ParkRegent’s ParkRichmondRotherhitheRoyal AlbertRoyal OakRoyal VictoriaRussell SquareSeven SistersShadwellShepherd’s BushShepherd’s Bush MarketShoreditch High StreetSloane SquareSouth EalingSouth KensingtonSouth QuaySouth WimbledonSouthfieldsSouthwarkSt. James’s ParkSt. John’s WoodSt. Paul’sStamford BrookStepney GreenStockwellStonebridge ParkStratfordSurrey QuaysSwiss CottageTempleTooting BecTooting BroadwayTottenham Court RoadTottenham HaleTower GatewayTower HillTufnell ParkTurnham GreenTurnpike LaneUpton ParkVauxhallVictoriaWalthamstow CentralWappingWarren StreetWarwick AvenueWaterlooWembley CentralWembley ParkWest ActonWest BromptonWest HamWest HampsteadWest India QuayWest KensingtonWest SilvertownWestbourne ParkWestferryWestminsterWhite CityWhitechapelWillesden GreenWillesden JunctionWimbledonWimbledon ParkWood GreenWood Lane

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