At an event like Frieze London, the world’s contemporary art behemoth, one expects to be visually arrested. Canvases hum with abstract energy, sculptures challenge our perception of space, and installations demand our quiet contemplation. But to focus solely on the art within the booths is to miss the second, equally compelling exhibition: the one that walks, talks, and congregates in the aisles. This is the unofficial runway of the art world, a place where personal style isn't just an afterthought—it's a thesis statement.
Here, among the global cognoscenti, clothing transcends mere function to become a form of dialogue, a personal curation that rivals the collections on display. The attendees of Frieze don't simply get dressed; they compose themselves. From archival Vivienne Westwood sourced from a Portobello confidante to audacious leather braces from a Parisian sex shop, each ensemble tells a story of identity, intention, and a deep engagement with the creative spirit. This is a masterclass in the art of dressing, where every choice is deliberate and every detail matters.
The Curators of Self: Style as a Deliberate Act
For many at Frieze, fashion is not a passive reflection of mood but an active tool for shaping it. It’s a psychological uniform, chosen to manifest a desired state of being. Take artist Sol Golden-Sato, a vision in velvet against the backdrop of Studio Lenca's contemporary work. His philosophy is a powerful reversal of the norm. "A lot of people might use their mood or the way they are feeling to control how they dress," he explains, "but I like to use clothes as a way of shaping how I am going to feel."
This proactive approach is evident in his meticulously assembled look. An '80s Vivienne Westwood velvet suit serves as the foundation—a piece imbued with the rebellious, romantic spirit of its iconic creator. It’s not just vintage; it’s a piece of cultural history, sourced through a friend in Portobello, suggesting a community built on shared aesthetic values. Paired with a classic Paul Smith coat and shoes from the King's Road institution Sukie's, the outfit is a map of British style tribes, from punk aristocracy to classic tailoring. His stated goal for the day was "to be playful," and the rich texture and confident silhouette of his attire are a direct broadcast of that intent.
This idea of clothing as a functional tool for navigating the world is echoed by another visitor, who frames it as a vital layer of defense. Photographed before a piece by Rafał Zajko, she describes her styling as "a form of protection." In the high-stakes, visually saturated environment of an international art fair, this sentiment resonates deeply. Her ensemble is a complex tapestry of global influences and luxury signifiers: a handmade Moroccan hooded jacket speaks of craftsmanship and travel, while a Gucci bag and glasses, alongside Burberry boots, anchor the look in established high fashion. Yet, a vintage pleated skirt and Alighieri jewellery add layers of personal history and intellectual curiosity. For her, clothing was one of the "first tools I was able to utilise when communicating my creativity." It is her armor and her megaphone, allowing her to project her inner world outwards before a word is spoken. Her philosophy finds a perfect parallel in Nina Simone's famous declaration that an artist's duty is "to reflect the times." At Frieze, these visitors prove that personal style is its own powerful reflection.
The Power of Provenance: Vintage, Secondhand, and Personal History
In a world saturated with the new, there is a profound power in wearing a story. For a certain Frieze attendee, the most compelling fashion is that which has lived a life before. This is not about chasing trends, but about cultivating a wardrobe with character, where each piece has provenance and a soul.
Jan Arkwright, a retired prison lawyer, embodies this ethos with a quiet confidence that is utterly captivating. Her history in a field defined by rigid structure and formality makes her current expression of style all the more compelling. Dressed in a cozy cardigan from the cult Birmingham knitwear brand Hades, Margaret Howell jeans, and "very old Church’s," her look is a testament to enduring quality and understated British design. She recalls a youth spent in wellington boots with Paddington Bear transfers and workman’s overalls, much to her grandmother's chagrin. "My granny was insistent I’d grow out of dressing that way," she muses, "I like to think I’ve matured into it." This single statement is a beautiful articulation of authentic style—a thread of personal truth that has remained unbroken from adolescence to retirement, refined rather than replaced.
This reverence for the pre-loved is shared, albeit with a more provocative edge, by Parisian hotelier Gastón Assayas. His look is a masterclass in subversion and confidence. While the majority of his outfit is secondhand—a testament to the unparalleled vintage shopping in his home city—the defining elements are unapologetically contemporary and daring. "The leather braces with silver hardware and leather tie are both from a sex shop," he states plainly. This is not just an accessory choice; it's a deliberate injection of queer culture, fetishism, and raw, unfiltered energy into the often-rarefied atmosphere of the art world. It’s a challenge to convention, worn with an ease that makes it feel like the most natural choice in the world.
Assayas’s commitment to secondhand is a philosophy. "We have such great vintage shops that you never really have to buy clothes brand new," he says. This is both an ethical stance and a strategy for total individuality. His sartorial choices are a direct pushback against the homogeny of fast fashion and the digital world he seeks to escape. "It’s refreshing to escape from the modern-day universe of selfies and social media to experience work with real history and cultural significance," he notes. Ironically, his own highly photogenic and statement-making outfit achieves exactly what he critiques: it creates a moment of undeniable cultural significance, rooted in history—both his own and that of the garments he wears.
The Prada Proclamation: High Fashion as High Art
While some use a collage of vintage and niche labels to build their identity, others make a singular, powerful statement by aligning themselves with the total vision of one design house. At Frieze, where art and commerce perform their intricate dance, no brand feels more at home than Prada, and no one wore it with more purpose than stylist and brand owner Olga Vilshenko.
Standing before a sculptural work, Vilshenko is a living embodiment of the Prada ethos. Her jacket, bag, skirt, and heels are all from the AW25 collection—a head-to-toe look that is less an outfit and more a declaration of allegiance. This is a strategic and informed choice; she is on her way to the Prada Mode London exhibition, an event that further cements the brand’s deep and long-standing ties with the art world. Her choice is contextual, professional, and deeply personal.
Her admiration for Miuccia Prada is effusive and specific. "No one designs for a women’s body like Miuccia Prada – she’s always been one of favourites," Vilshenko explains. This gets to the heart of Prada's enduring appeal. It's fashion for the intelligent, thinking woman—often challenging, sometimes cerebral, but always empowering. In the context of Frieze, an environment celebrating intellectual and creative rigor, a full Prada look acts as a kind of conceptual uniform, signaling a shared set of values.
Adding a layer of humanity to her impeccable presentation, Vilshenko reveals she is exploring the fair with a guided tour group, as English is not her first language. This detail is crucial; it shows she is not merely here to be seen, but to see, to learn, and to engage. Her interest in the work of female artists like Celia Paul and Marguerite Humeau feels particularly resonant, connecting her to Prada's own complex, often feminist-inflected narrative. Her look is not a costume, but a conduit for her experience of the art around her.
The Final Brushstroke
Ultimately, a walk through Frieze is a walk through a gallery of human expression in its totality. The conversations sparked by the art on the walls are matched by the silent statements made by the attendees. They prove that style, at its most elevated, is a deeply personal and artistic practice.
Whether it’s a vintage suit worn to manifest joy, a subversive accessory that challenges norms, or a head-to-toe designer look that signals an intellectual alignment, the fashion at Frieze is a critical part of the exhibition. It is a reminder that we are all curators of our own identity, and for some, a simple outfit can be their most intimate and immediate masterpiece.
