In The Culture List column, Kristen Nichols weighs in on culture through the lens of fashion—including what to know in events, travel, restaurants, films, art, music, and more.
The 2025 calendar is already filling up fast. Just as fashion month is nearly coming to a close, the spring itinerary is quickly shaping up with some of the biggest events of the year and exciting new openings that have insiders clamoring to secure flights and book reservations. Salone del Mobile is proving to be one of the hottest events to travel to as the fashion set further entrenches itself into the Milanese design world. There are also major film festivals on the horizon that are set to shape the pace of award season and celebrity red carpet style. As the world of sports and fashion continue to converge, we’re seeing even more excitement around some of the biggest sporting events of the year, including the upcoming Monaco Grand Prix and French Open.
For those in search of newness on the travel-and-hospitality front, there are buzzy new hotels that are about to open their doors across the globe that are worthy of a booking. Collegio alla Querce in Florence is perhaps the most anticipated hotel opening of the year, while Clemente Bar in New York already has a reputation as one of the best bars in the world. Meanwhile, the third season of The White Lotus has fans hooked again, while imminent TV, film, and music releases will influence what everyone is talking about in the coming months. Read on for Who What Wear’s top cultural highlights for spring 2025.
Each spring, the timepiece community travels to Geneva, Switzerland, for Watches and Wonders—the most anticipated watch event in the world. The annual convention draws journalists, industry experts, watch insiders, and connoisseurs alike as brands unveil their latest creations and new releases. The timepieces debuted will set the direction for watch trends throughout 2025, from diamond-encrusted high-jewelry watches to vintage reissues to revolutionary new designs.
Dates: April 1 to 7
Salone del Mobile, the world’s ultimate design fair, has emerged as one of the hottest annual events to attend. Design and fashion insiders alike flock to Milan for the fair that's a hub for furniture and décor. While it’s historically drawn design-world insiders, in the last few years, it has grown exponentially among the fashion set—both from fashion brands showcasing their latest home collections and attendees from the style set. The fair will be held at the Fiera Milano in Rho, and you’re guaranteed to find regulars at Bar Basso for aperitivo hour.
Dates: April 8 to 13
For two weeks every May, celebrities descend upon the South of France for the Cannes Film Festival, which predicts the year’s buzziest films. It’s also one of the most glamorous red carpets of the year, as celebrities and models bring custom couture to the Côte d’Azur. Though, the more casual airport-arrival outfits are equally inspiring. While the official guest list is always shrouded in mystery, this year’s attendees are likely to include Cate Blanchett, Jennifer Lawrence, Elle Fanning, Scarlett Johansson, Robert Pattinson, and more, who are starring in some of the buzziest upcoming films, including Wes Anderson's The Phoenician Scheme, Spike Lee's remake of Highest 2 Lowest, Lynne Ramsay's premiere of Die, My Love, and Jim Jarmusch’s Father, Mother, Sister, Brother.
Dates: May 13 to 24
Each year on the first Monday in May, the Met Gala gathers the world’s biggest celebrities to celebrate the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s spring exhibit. The Costume Institute’s spring 2025 exhibition—Superfine: Tailoring Black Style—will take the Black dandy as its subject. In keeping with the exhibition theme, this year’s dress code is “Tailored for You,” which will focus on menswear, so we can expect the A-list attendees to take this as inspiration for their looks. For 2025, the co-chairs are Pharrell Williams, actor Colman Domingo, Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton, musician A$AP Rocky, and Vogue Editor in Chief and U.S. Artistic Director Anna Wintour, with basketball star LeBron James acting as honorary co-chair.
Date: May 5
The seventh season of Formula 1: Drive to Survive arrives on March 7, a show that has fueled the meteoric rise in popularity of F1, especially among the U.S. audience. Newcomers to the sport and longtime fans alike will want to tune into the Monaco Grand Prix as drivers and their teams compete for one of the most important titles in automobile racing. Each year, the glamorous racing weekend takes place on the Monte Carlo coast, drawing celebrities and style insiders who watch to see which driver will take home the championship trophy from the Circuit de Monaco.
Date: May 25
The French Open, known to locals as Roland-Garros for the name of the stadium in Paris where it is played, is the first Grand Slam tennis tournament to arrive each spring, and the only Grand Slam played on clay courts. The premiere tennis tournament will bring back top competitors, which will likely include Carlos Alcaraz (the 2024 champion), Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, Coco Gauff, and Madison Keys.
Dates: May 25 to June 8
Motorsport fans will also want to tune in for the infamous 24 Hours of Le Mans—named for the number of hours in the endurance race and the town of Le Mans, France, where it has taken place for over a century since 1923. It is one of the world’s most prestigious races, and alongside the Monaco Grand Prix, it is one of three races that make up the Triple Crown.
Dates: June 14 to 15
Famous for its all-white dress code for competitors, manicured grass courts, and attendance by the royal family, Wimbledon is one of the most anticipated tennis competitions of the year. It will bring tennis fans to London to watch the biggest names in the sport compete for the iconic trophy. Though there is no official dress code for spectators, the event encourages guests to dress smartly, making it one of the most fashionable sporting events of the season.
Dates: June 30 to July 13
Already a fixture on the London scene, The Twenty Two has arrived with its second location in New York. The new hotel and members club, located in the heart of Union Square in a historic landmarked Margaret Louisa Home, is a nine-story space designed with interiors by Alexy Kos and Che Huang of Child Studio. In addition to the beautiful rooms and private club, The Twenty Two also includes restaurant hot spot Cafe Zaffri (also known as Zaf’s) from the team behind the NYC favorite Raf’s.
Opening Date: February
Clemente Bar recently opened upstairs at Eleven Madison Park and already has a reputation as one of best bars in the world—it’s undoubtedly one of the hottest new spots in NYC. The intimate cocktail lounge hails from chef Daniel Humm and artist Francesco Clemente. Beyond bearing his name, Clemente Bar is punctuated with three murals by Clemente in his signature dreamlike style.
Date: Open
Tucked down a cypress tree–lined street in the hilltops of Tuscany sits Collegio alla Querce, the first-ever Auberge Resorts Collection hotel located in Italy. The property resides in a 16th-century building that boasts views of the terra-cotta rooftops of the Duomo in Florence, even from many of the guest rooms. Located just 15 minutes away from the city center, it’s perhaps the perfect location for those looking to spend time in both Florence and Tuscany.
Opening Date: March
The Lake Como Edition will open in a 19th-century building located on the western shore in Cadenabbia with views overlooking the Bellagio hills. The new hotel will include 148 guest rooms, a floating pool, a spa sanctuary, multiple indoor and outdoor restaurants and bars, and a lively lobby bar that will add a new destination for the well-heeled crowd.
Opening Date: Spring
The first Japanese property of Rosewood Hotels & Resorts will arrive in March with the opening of the Rosewood Miyakojima, set on the tropical island of Miyakojima, known for its breathtaking views and pristine waters. The Piet Boon–designed hotel marries sustainability and luxury, featuring 55 guest accommodations, four restaurants and bars with Japanese and international cuisines, and experiences ranging from wellness treatments to snorkeling the local coral reefs.
Opening Date: March
For those looking for an old-world travel experience, the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, a Belmond train, has elegant luxury sleeper trains with routes throughout Europe. The new Paris-Tuscany route makes its first departure in May. On the three-night trip, experiences include drinks in the bar car alongside live piano, breakfast served in guest cabins as the train winds through the Italian countryside, and private tours of Siena’s UNESCO-listed historic center. It concludes at Belmond’s celebrated farm estate Castello di Casole. The train will also be bringing back the Portofino route in June, which culminates at the iconic Splendido, a Belmond hotel.
Opening Date: May and June
After two buzzy seasons set in Hawaii and Italy, cult-favorite show The White Lotus returned for its third season on HBO in February. This season, guests head to Thailand at the Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui. The new star-studded cast includes Parker Posey, Blackpink’s Lisa, Carrie Coon, Jason Isaacs, Leslie Bibb, Meghan Monaghan, and more. Creator Mike White shared that season three will focus on themes of “death and Eastern religion and spirituality,” and it’s set to be even crazier than the plots that came before it.
Premiere Date: February
Streamer: HBO
Hollywood is perpetually telling stories about itself, and the latest narrative unfolds in The Studio. The 10-episode series is centered on a newly appointed movie studio head, played by Seth Rogen, juggling creativity with the corporate demands of filmmaking. The highly anticipated show with an all-star cast—also starring Catherine O'Hara, Kathryn Hahn, and Chase Sui Wonders—takes an inside look at Hollywood today.
Premiere Date: March 26
Streamer: Apple TV+
Fans of Hacks will be thrilled to know that the award-winning series is returning for a fourth season this May with 10 episodes. The series follows comedian Deborah Vance (played by Jean Smart) and writer Ava Daniels (played by Hannah Einbinder) who return to play out their mentorship-turned-rival relationship in the world of late-night television.
Premiere Date: May
Streamer: HBO
The hottest ticket to book on Broadway is Oh, Mary! The 80-minute one-act play penned by Cole Escola examines the forgotten life and dreams of Mary Todd Lincoln in the weeks leading up the assassination of Abraham Lincoln through a comedic and historically inaccurate lens. The Broadway sensation originally debuted in 2024, and it was just announced that Cole Escola will return to star as the title role in the production through April 8.
Superfine: Tailoring Black Style will run from May 10 to October 26, 2025, following the Met Gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The exhibition will explore the importance of sartorial style to the formation of Black identities in the Atlantic diaspora.
Dates: May 10 to October 10
Not only is Lisa starring as an actress in the third season of The White Lotus, but the Blackpink pop star is also releasing her debut solo album. The album, Alter Ego, has 15 tracks and features guest appearances from Rosalía, Doja Cat, Raye, Future, Tyla, and Megan Thee Stallion. There's no doubt it will be the soundtrack for spring 2025.
Date: February 28
The Right Person Will Stay is the upcoming 10th studio album by Lana Del Rey, produced by Luke Laird, Jack Antonoff, Zach Dawes, and Drew Erickson, set to release on May 21. In interviews, Del Rey has described it as more “Americana” than her past work, which is often described as alt-pop. “Maybe more American songbook style,” she told NME.
Date: May 21
