At The Louvre In Paris, A First-Ever Fashion Exhibition On Icons Of Haute Couture

The Louvre in Paris is currently hosting its first-ever major fashion exhibition, titled Louvre Couture: Art Objects, Fashion Objects. The exhibition showcases 45 designers and their fashion pieces spanning from the 1960s to today. The exhibition, which opened on January 24, is staged on the first floor of the Richelieu wing and features over 70 clothing pieces, which were either lent as rare loans or are archival contributions from fashion houses.

The display transforms the museum's expansive 9,000-square-meter Decorative Arts wing into a walkable fashion mood board. The clothing pieces are thoughtfully displayed alongside the museum's vast collection of paintings, furniture and decorative items from the Middle Ages to the 19th century, blending history with fashion's most iconic pieces to date. 

The collection features designers ranging from Jean Paul Gaultier to John Galliano, along with well-known French luxury labels including Givenchy, Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Dior. The exhibit also showcases Alexander McQueen's Platform Armadillo shoes and items from Karl Lagerfeld's last Chanel collection, alongside 18th-century furniture and pottery from the 1600s. Contemporary designers, such as Erdem, Thom Browne, and Iris van Herpen, are also represented with their fashion creations.

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Fashion curator and director of the decorative arts department, Olivier Gabet, spoke about the making of the Louvre Couture exhibition. In a conversation with Vogue, he said, "When I arrived, in 2022, [Louvre president-director] Laurence des Cars and I spoke a lot about all the programming we do around contemporary creation. We have choreographers, theatre people, writers, painters and residencies, and I said we can't have all these creatives and not make fashion a part of it. Fashion has to be here: it's a major means of artistic expression today.”

Olivier added, "Even if we are talking about haute couture and extravagant prices, fashion is part of today's popular culture, of visual culture. Lots of people feel in phase with fashion, and this is a way of inviting them in and letting them discover that they're in phase with the museum, too." 

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The exhibition honours significant historical eras while offering visitors the chance to experience Louvre items through the eyes of modern designers. One of the standout pieces is a Dolce & Gabbana dress with crystal embroidery, inspired by 11th-century mosaics from Santa Maria Assunta in Torcello, Venice.

Other iconic pieces on display include Gianni Versace's metal mesh gown from 1997, which was previously featured at the 2018 Heavenly Bodies Met Gala exhibition.

The couture exhibition is open until July 21. If you're a fashion enthusiast and have plans to visit Paris, a tour through this exhibit shouldn't be missed. 

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