A new exhibition showcases remarkable fashion pieces, including a stunning black velvet gown designed by Demna for Balenciaga. CNN
The iconic Louvre has taken a groundbreaking step by hosting its first-ever fashion exhibition, "Louvre Couture, Art and Fashion: Statement Pieces." Running until July 21, the exhibit bridges the world of art and fashion, showcasing the works of 45 legendary designers, including Chanel, Balenciaga, Versace, and Yves Saint Laurent. With 70 garments and 30 accessories on display, the event offers visitors a unique exploration of how art and fashion have inspired each other from the 1960s to today.
The Louvre museum is showcasing fashion pieces, including a dress from Alexander McQueen's Spring-Summer 2010 collection. CNN
The exhibition cleverly integrates the fashion pieces into the museum’s vast collection, inviting visitors to wander through its galleries and discover how fashion dialogues with art objects like sculptures, ceramics, and paintings. According to Laurence des Cars, the museum’s president, the aim is to engage new generations and reflect the connection between the past and present.
An outfit from John Galliano's Autumn-Winter 2006-2007 Haute Couture collection for Christian Dior is on display. CNN
Olivier Gabet, the museum’s director of art objects and the curator of the exhibition, highlights the profound relationship designers have with the Louvre. "For fashion designers, the museum is the ultimate mood board," he said, adding that this personal connection between the creators and the museum was the foundation for the exhibition. The collection even includes a Dior silhouette named after the Louvre, the only haute couture piece in history with such a distinction.
The exhibition also includes a piece from Dutch designer Iris Van Herpen's Autumn-Winter 2018-2019 Haute Couture collection. CNN
Visitors can marvel at stunning creations like a crystal-embroidered Dolce & Gabbana dress inspired by 11th-century mosaics and a silk Dior gown with a Sun King motif, displayed alongside a baroque portrait of Louis XIV. Among the highlights is Gianni Versace’s 1997 metal mesh gown, which took over 600 hours to craft by hand. Embellished with Swarovski crystals and golden embroidery, the gown draws from Ancient Greek peplum designs and continues to influence modern fashion.
Karl Lagerfeld took inspiration from an intricate blue and white cabinet. CNN
Designers like Karl Lagerfeld have taken direct inspiration from the Louvre’s collections. For Chanel’s 2019 collection, Lagerfeld created an embroidered jacket modeled after an 18th-century chest displayed in the museum. His designs exemplify how fashion can translate historical artifacts into wearable art.
A detailed view of the Chanel jacket on display. CNN
The exhibition also revisits iconic moments, such as Brigitte Bardot’s 1967 photograph in a Paco Rabanne chainmail tunic, placed beside a 3D-printed Balenciaga gown. With pieces like these, the collection celebrates the interplay of historical eras and contemporary creativity, drawing from influences as diverse as Italian Renaissance paintings and Medieval tapestries.
As Paris Fashion Week approaches, the exhibition offers a wealth of inspiration for both designers and art enthusiasts. Rather than declaring fashion as art, Gabet emphasizes the creative synergy shared by great designers and their artistic heritage. The show’s grand finale, the “Grand Dîner” in March, is already being dubbed the first French Met Gala, hinting at even more to come in this thrilling conversation between art and fashion.
