The Cultural Agenda: Everything Trendy to Experience, Explore, and Discover This Autumn

      In her Culture List column, Kristen Nichols offers insights into culture through the lens of fashion, covering various topics such as events, travel, dining, films, art, music, and beyond. As summer ends, fall is ushering in eagerly awaited new openings that have the fashion elite excited to book trips and snag hard-to-obtain reservations. Carbone has just opened in London, proving just as challenging to book a table at as its original NYC counterpart. This venue also hosted British Vogue’s Raye cover launch during London Fashion Week. Visitors to London should not miss the Victoria and Albert Museum's exhibition on Marie Antoinette, showcasing a range of items from oil paintings of the queen to shoe sketches from Sofia Coppola's film. For those interested in travel and hospitality, several buzzworthy new hotels are set to open, including ones anticipated to attract savvy insiders. The Faena in New York is among the most highly awaited hotel openings in recent memory, alongside the upcoming White Elephant hotel slated to open in Aspen this December. The Aspen World Snow Polo Championship is expected to attract even more visitors to the Alps, marking it as one of the season's premier events as the fashion crowd becomes increasingly involved in sports. Additionally, the forthcoming releases of Frankenstein and One Battle After Another are generating excitement for what viewers will be discussing in the coming months. Read further for Who What Wear’s top cultural highlights for fall 2025, covering all there is to see, do, and visit.

      (Image credit: White Elephant; Aman, Kith) Faena, New York, New York While Faena has established locations in Buenos Aires and Miami, it debuted in New York this September, marking a new addition to the NYC hotel scene. The Faena Design Team is infusing the hotel with its distinctive spirit, featuring maximalist designs that combine richly layered spaces with the theatrical elegance of vintage New York glamour, complete with leopard prints, opulent chandeliers, and dim lighting.

      (Image credit: Faena) White Elephant, Aspen, Colorado Known for its esteemed Nantucket and Palm Beach hotels, the White Elephant is launching its latest location in Aspen, Colorado, mere steps from downtown. Slated to open in December 2025, the 54-room hotel will inhabit a modernist boutique building designed by Boston-based architectural firm Embarc. Its interiors will blend a vibrant color palette of rust, warm whites, and deep charcoal with textures of leather, wood, and stone.

      (Image credit: White Elephant) Aman Rosa, Alpina, Italy The Dolomites have become a premier destination in Italy. The newest addition is the Aman Rosa Alpina, a beloved retreat since 1939 that has been thoughtfully revitalized by renowned architect Jean-Michel Gathy of Denniston to reflect the region's heritage.

      (Image credit: Aman) Kith Ivy, New York, New York Kith is set to unveil its latest venture: a luxury padel club located in the heart of midtown Manhattan. More than just a fitness center, the space will host a Giorgio Armani spa, a restaurant from the NYC establishment Café Mogador, and the first Erewhon in New York.

      (Image credit: Kith) Carbone, London, England Carbone originated in NYC, drawing inspiration from the cuisine of Little Italy, and quickly became one of the hardest reservations to secure in the city. Additional locations have since opened in Miami and Las Vegas. The latest restaurant in London marks its first European location, where the spicy rigatoni and baked clams are anticipated to be just as sought after as at the original site.

      (Image credit: Carbone) Meadow Lane, Tribeca, New York New York has long sought its counterpart to Erewhon. While many have attempted to fill this gap, few have succeeded. Though the first Erewhon will soon open within the Kith Ivy private members' club, access there is limited compared to its L.A. counterpart. A compelling alternative is the new Meadow Lane in Tribeca, set to be Erewhon-adjacent as the latest gourmet grocery store to debut in Manhattan.

      (Image credit: Meadow Lane)

      Frieze Frieze London stands as one of the premier contemporary art fairs globally. Established in 2003, it features cutting-edge contemporary art from the world's leading galleries, evolving into a critical cultural moment in London’s calendar every October.

      (Image credit: Getty Images) Aspen World Snow Polo Championship With the convergence of fashion and sports, it was inevitable that polo would gain further prominence. Events like Snow Polo St. Moritz have seen significant success for years, but now it's gaining popularity in the U.S. Last year, fashion enthusiasts gathered at the St. Regis in Aspen for the annual event, which is expected to attract an even larger crowd in 2025.

      Art Basel Each December, Art Basel unites the realms of art, fashion, and design in Miami. While it has grown into one of the world’s most significant art fairs, it