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Dior (Photo: Nicolas Mathéus, courtesy of the Louvre)
There are few other cities that match the exquisite style and glamour of Paris. It’s only fitting, then, that the Louvre has staged an exhibition focusing on one of the most remarkable characteristics for which the city is known: fashion.
Louvre Couture serves as the museum’s first-ever exhibition solely dedicated to fashion. The show is as unprecedented as it is grand, compiling more than 100 carefully curated pieces from 45 iconic fashion houses, such as Prada, Alexander McQueen, Dior, and Iris van Herpen. Taken in its entirety, this astounding selection explores over 60 years of haute couture, alongside historical artifacts, timepieces, and garments.
Featured items demonstrate an impressive range, showcasing a variety of textures, silhouettes, and techniques. A Louis Vuitton jacket, for instance, mimics classical fashion, incorporating a floral pattern over a smooth, glossy blue fabric. The mannequin upon which the jacket is draped stands inside a room overflowing with decorative chairs, vases, pedestals, and wall trimmings, perfectly complementing its surroundings.
Other garments veer toward contemporary forms. A dress by the Japanese brand Undercover maintains a playful silhouette, boasting puffy, black sleeves, a silky cape, and a thigh-length skirt that resembles a honeycomb. A Balenciaga outfit pairs a sleek and traditional black dress with an oversized hat, perched upon the mannequin’s head like an upside-down bowl.
As the world’s largest museum, the Louvre has been able to spread out the exhibition across its 9,000-square-foot space. Showrooms thoughtfully combine existing elements with Louvre Couture’s garments, generating insightful and at times surprising juxtapositions. A decadent, crinkled Dior dress can be found, for example, within a massive room with its walls painted red. With its dramatic blue dress and Roman-inspired accessories, the mannequin seamlessly blends in with the bold and imposing objects sprinkled throughout the space.
Louvre Couture will also involve a fundraising element. In March, a gala will take place during Paris Fashion Week, during which guests will dine among classical sculptures in the Cour Marly before celebrating beneath I.M. Pei’s iconic pyramid.
“This exhibition is intended to show the extent to which these works, just like paintings, photography, cinema, literature, sculpture, and dance, serve as vibrant sources of inspiration for creators working in another essential area of contemporary artistic expression: fashion,” Olivier Gabet, the exhibition’s curator, writes in the Louvre Couture catalog.
Indeed, Louvre Couture accomplishes that intention, proving the enduring appeal of fashion and its impact upon artistry across time and space.
Louvre Couture is now on view at the Louvre until July 21, 2025. To learn more about the exhibition, visit the Louvre website.
The Louvre has opened its first-ever exhibition solely dedicated to fashion and the lavish history of haute couture.
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Jean-Paul Gaultier (Photo: Nicolas Mathéus)
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Detail of Jean-Paul Gaultier dress (Photo: Nicolas Mathéus)
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Chanel (Photo: Nicolas Mathéus)
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Details of Chanel dress (Photo: Nicolas Mathéus)
The exhibition, titled Louvre Couture, unites over 100 designs from 45 iconic fashion houses, ranging from Dior to Gucci.
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Dior (Photo: Nicolas Mathéus)
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Louis Vuitton (Photo: Nicolas Mathéus, courtesy of the Louvre)
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Rick Owens (Photo: Nicolas Mathéus)
Garments featured in Louvre Couture can be found throughout the Louvre’s 9,000-square-foot space, allowing for exciting and at times surprising juxtapositions between existing collections.
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Undercover (Photo: Nicolas Mathéus, courtesy of the Louvre)
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Alexander McQueen and Bottega Veneta (Photo: Nicolas Mathéus, courtesy of the Louvre)
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Versace (Photo: Nicolas Mathéus, courtesy of the Louvre)
The exhibition will also feature a fundraising gala during Paris Fashion Week in March.
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Balenciaga (Photo: Nicolas Mathéus)