Thursday, July 9
Reception at 5:00 p.m.
Lecture at 6:00 p.m.
MOPA@SDMA
Gain unique insights into the life and work of Cecil Beaton and his fashion photography that shaped a generation.
Friend-level members and above are invited to a special Friends Lecture & Opening to celebrate Cecil Beaton’s Fashionable World at MOPA@SDMA.
Guest lecturer Robin Muir, External Curator at the National Portrait Gallery in London, will present on the fascinating life and work of Cecil Beaton and the lasting impact of his photographic career.
Guests will enjoy a welcome reception with light refreshments plus a viewing of the exhibition followed by the lecture at 6:00 p.m.
Friend-level members and above may reserve two complimentary tickets using the link below. Space is limited. Not a Friend member? Join or upgrade today by calling 619.696.1941 to secure your seats for this event.
About the Exhibition
Photographer, fashion illustrator, Oscar-winning costumer designer, social caricaturist, and writer, Cecil Beaton (1904-1980) was an extraordinary force in the 20th-century British and American creative scenes. With nearly 150 items displayed, Cecil Beaton’s Fashionable World showcases Beaton as his most triumphant – including photographs, letters, sketches, fashion illustration, and magazines. Via London, Paris, New York, and Hollywood, his era-defining photographs captured beauty, glamour, and star power in the interwar and early post-war eras.
Exhibition organized by The National Portrait Gallery, London, and presented by The San Diego Museum of Art.
Cecil Beaton’s Fashionable World is on view at MOPA@SDMA July 11, 2026 – January 10, 2027
Featured at top right: Cecil Beaton, The Second Age of Beauty is Glamour, Checked Suit by Norman Hartnell (detail), 1947. Modern print from original colour transparency. © Condé Nast Archive UK.
