25 March 2025

Theory Meets Practice: Future-Oriented Thinking in 'Who’s Wearing the Pants?' at Weltmuseum Wien

Starting today, the Weltmuseum Wien welcomes visitors to its latest special exhibition, Who's Wearing the Pants?, open to the public from March 25, 2025 to February 1, 2026. The exhibition takes visitors on a journey through 3,000 years of trouser history, questioning the cultural and social significance of this seemingly everyday garment. Through 120 exhibits, including 60 pairs of trousers, the museum explores themes of domination, rebellion, craftsmanship, and design, while inviting visitors to reflect on the role of trousers in identity, power structures, and social norms. The exhibition combines historical artifacts with contemporary art and offers an interactive and thought-provoking experience through an accompanying programme of events. For the events, the museum has partnered with designers and artists who will guide participants through a hands-on experience with the theme 'pants'.

The Five Rooms of the Exhibition: A Narrative of Trousers Across Time
The exhibition unfolds over five rooms, each shedding light on different aspects of trouser history:
- Room 1: De-Constructions explores the fundamental forms and functions of trousers, displaying pieces from diverse cultural backgrounds alongside Laura Eckert's contemporary sculpture.
- Room 2: Origins and Evolution presents the world's oldest known trousers, highlighting their development from ancient China and Nubia to Celtic and Roman influences.
- Room 3: Gender and Symbolism focuses on the socio-political significance of trousers, examining their role in power, gender identity, and self-expression.
- Room 4: Imperial and Functional Trousers showcases Habsburg-era garments and functional trousers used in military, sports, and everyday life.
- Room 5: The Future of Trousers addresses modern textile challenges, including fast fashion, sustainability, and AI-driven design processes, encouraging visitors to rethink their relationship with fashion and consumption.

The fifth room, in particular, stands out for its emphasis on contemporary issues, asking: What will trousers of the 21st century look like? Visitors are encouraged to engage with topics like sustainable materials, greenwashing, and upcycling, making this space a bridge between historical narratives and future-oriented discussions.

A Programme Where Theory Meets Practice and Future-Oriented Thinking
Fashion.at has reviewed the programme and selected a few examples from the well-curated diverse series of events presented by the Weltmuseum Wien, designed to engage visitors of all ages in a hands-on and theoretical exploration of the history, culture, art and future of trousers.
>Workshops for Schools: Learning Through Fashion
For students aged 3 to 18, the museum offers three age-appropriate workshops where participants explore trousers from various cultures and eras, ranging from polar bear fur and banana fiber to industrial denim production. The workshops culminate in the creation of a 'Zukunftshose' (Future Trousers), integrating sustainability and personal expression.
>Open Atelier: A Creative Space for Children
On 5 April, the museum hosts an Open Atelier for children aged 3 to 10, where young visitors and their accompanying adults can paint, cut, glue, and model their own artistic interpretations of trousers. The event promotes teamwork and creativity while exploring the theme of pants in an accessible, playful manner.
>Speed Dating with a Historical Twist
On 29 April, the museum offers a unique Object Speed Dating event, where visitors can engage in conversation through historical trousers from the museum's collection in three-minute intervals, sparking discussions on the stories behind these garments. The event offers a dynamic way to engage with history. The museum's information explicitly states that no liability is assumed for romantic developments.
>Women, Trousers, and the Struggle for Equality
On the same evening, art historian Abigail Susik presents Permitted to Pant: Modernity and the Visual Culture of Women in Trousers, a lecture examining the feminist, political, and cultural impact of women wearing trousers in modern history.
>Fashion as Socio-Political Expression
From 17 to 20 June, the Befreiungshose (Liberation Trousers) workshop invites participants to reimagine their old jeans in response to personal needs for comfort, movement, and sustainability. Through upcycling techniques, the workshop connects fashion to ideas of personal freedom and environmental responsibility. The course is directed by Simone Hintermayer-Scholz. She studied at the University of Applied Arts, Department of Textiles - Free, Applied and Experimental Artistic Design and is a master tailor.
>Jeans Embroidery in Brazilian Style
For those drawn to textile craftsmanship, the 6-7 June workshop Jeans besticken im brasilianischen Stil teaches vibrant floral embroidery techniques, integrating traditional Brazilian stitching with contemporary denim fashion. Course instructor Viktoria Demiray, a graduate designer who was trained at the Spengergasse Textile School, works as a freelance jewelry and textile designer in Vienna.
>and more

Stay Updated
Fashion.at reviewed the programme as of today, but changes may occur over time. For the most up-to-date information on exhibitions and events, visit Weltmuseum Wien.

With its rich combination of historical insight, contemporary debate, and hands-on creativity, Who's Wearing the Pants? provides an engaging and interactive way to explore the intersections of fashion, history, and society.


Image: Exhibition view of Who’s Wearing the Pants?, on display from March 25, 2025 to February 1, 2026 at the Weltmuseum Wien. © KHM-Museumsverband, Photo: Daniel Sostaric.