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For the first time in its history, and it sounds odd to even write this, le Musée de Louvre had a fashion exhibit. Louvre Couture opened up to the public on January 24th with a grand Met Gala-like red carpet event during the first week of March.
On display until August 24th, find 99 pieces – 65 of which are designs (dresses, gowns, suits, etc.) positioned in nearly 9,000-square-metre of space, “newly illuminating the close historical dialogue that continues to take place between the world of fashion and the department’s greatest masterpieces, from Byzantium to the Second Empire. Each of these garments and accessories is on special loan from the most iconic fashion houses, both long-standing and recent, in Paris and throughout the world.”
Specifically located in the Department of Decorative Arts in the museum, each design is chosen for its particular location thoughtfully – “The pieces will not be displayed aimlessly throughout the Department of Decorative Arts, but rather will serve as an occasion to highlight existing parallels: the department owes part of its collection to the generosity of great fashion figures, from Jacques Doucet to Madame Carven. These countless connections embrace common methodological ground in the fields of art history and fashion: knowledge of ancestral techniques, visual culture and the subtle interplay of references, from the catalogue raisonné of the museum to the moodboard of the fashion world. ‘Louvre Couture’ offers a new perspective on decorative arts through the prism of contemporary fashion design.”
Visiting on a Friday evening, the first week of March, Paris Fashion Week was in full swing, and so that too provided a throng of people and living style inspiration in contemporary time.
If you happen to be in Paris now or will be before the exhibit concludes on August 24th, it is worth checking out, if nothing else to enjoy a fashion show, of the likes that has never been seen before. And be sure to bring your flats. I dressed up for the occasion, as I felt it was only respectful to do, wore heels – bien sûr!, but also had my Longchamp tote, and halfway through the exhibit, found a comfortable chair, and swapped my heels for flats. The exhibit will have you walking the full length up one side and down the other of the museum on the second floor, and you will feel as though you had quite the nice long walk with gorgeous eye candy to gaze at.
I invite you to grab an aperitif, settle in and savor these exquisite works of art that happen to be clothing. Needless to say, this exhibit demonstrates the powerful medium of communication that fashion can be.
Below you will find 30 of the 65 designs included in the exhibit, and with all but two, I was able to capture a photo of each design’s details – design house, designer, collection and inspiration, and then I did capture more than a handful of videos to give you a feel of the entire space many of the dresses were placed. However, viewing the photos first will help to know what you are viewing in the video. I do hope you enjoy. Let’s get started.
The Louvre Couture exhibit in photos
The Video Tour of Louvre Couture exhibit
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Wow! What a beautiful exhibit. I especially loved the Christian Dior dress with the coat over it (#30). Thank you for sharing ☺️
That video was amazing and loved the music. Stunning designs.
It is hard to find it the exact words to express how much I enjoyed your photos and video of the exhibit. I marveled at the intricacy of the construction and design along with various needlework embellishing the dresses. I wish I had time for a tip to view it in person, but I have a Christmas trip planned to see relatives in Sicily so it may not be in the budget.
Thanks for documenting this exhibit for us, Shannon! What breathtaking fabrics and handiwork on all of the dresses. Just stunning. I’m happy to be an armchair traveler for now and see the exhibit through your eyes!
The exhibit is simply gorgeous … what a privilege to be able to virtually visit it! Thank you Shannon for sharing a moment of pure beauty🌟
What a beautiful exhibit in fashion design. It really demonstrates the true artistry and intricate detail that haute couture is known for and revered. C’est magnifique! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much for sharing this exquisite exhibition, Shannon. What is it about Paris that hits you with beauty every time?
What an exquisite feast for the eyes and soul! Along with the incredible designers, the curators must be given their due for their brilliant staging of these exquisite pieces of confection. I love how you honoured the exhibit by dressing up a bit, such a beautiful and perfect sensibility. Oh, I just want to touch and hold all those gorgeous fabrics. What a stunning exhibit, many thanks for sharing, Shannon, it must have been breathtaking.
Beautiful – thank you for sharing!
Beautiful exhibit! I’m sorry I wasn’t able to see that one in person.
Your presentation was delightful, Shannon!f I could feel the beauty of all of the settings as well as the couture pieces. The fashions are extremely creative – did anyone ever wear them? I find my mind searching for a situation where some of them would be shown off! Thrilling to experience the Louvre, merci!
Dear Shannon,
Thank-you for sharing this exquisite exhibit at the Louvre. What a treat in must have been to see this in person! Absolutely stunning!
Wow … wow …. wow. So much beauty in one place. Thank you so much Shannon!
Oh my, what a fabulous exhibit! The displays are as artistic as the fashions! What an opportunity, thank you for taking this fashion and fabric loving member along with you. Often very particular about photography in such venue’s, You did a great job capturing these stunning, one-of-a-kind pieces. Thank You.
Lucy Augustine, I agree, Shannon’s photos caught the perfect angle that celebrated the marriage between the venue and the curated piece . Weren’t those fabrics and designs glorious?? The intricacy of the needlework, the lay and drape of the fabric, the juxtaposition and molding of fabrics…well, I guess that’s why these designers are who they are and were chosen for this exhibit. Exquisite.
Oh Rona, what an amazing exhibit! Worthy of a field trip, don’t you think? I would be the one with the sketch pad, ha, ha, ha! Couture in the last two seasons has leaned into brocades or printed fabrics that mimic brocades. I think we will see more of this mirrored in RTW. Now, I will not be the one with the big roses climbing across my chest and over my shoulder, but it is a look, and I think some of the larger houses will start testing the design lines of the early 2000s for a spark of structure and color that has been missing since the pandemic. I hope so. I would love to see beautiful young women in beautiful clothes, not jeans with holes and slouchy, sloppy T-shirts with inappropriate slogans printed on them. It’s a thing, I am showing my age I think. Be well,
Just beautiful.. loved seeing the close up photos you see the workmanship that went into the design
I am miffed about missing the exhibit only by a few days while in Paris in early September. Alas! Shannon, your detailed post and video have provided a virtual field trip of sorts – many thanks!
I would be hard-pressed to select a favorite among these artistic creations. What a treat, Shannon!