When in Paris, follow your instincts. Guaranteed you end up seeing and learning more than you bargained for! With two treasure maps from the Louvre, I followed their methodical approach to see an exhibition. “Louvre Couture – Objets d’art, objets de mode” (until July 21, 2025) gives the word “exhibition” a whole new definition. Among the historical inventory of decorative styles, you have the perfect mixture of art history and fashion in parallel. The Louvre map and the exhibition map are essential together. Guaranteed, you will retrace your steps for something you missed along the way.
The exhibition opens with a black and white Dior dress. “Musée du Louvre”. The whereabouts of the original are unknown, but the pattern was available and reproduced. The Christian Dior dress is called “Musée du Louvre”. That dress was easy to find. Finding gloves and accessories is another story — more challenging sometimes.
Some Samples of Designer Thinking
Olivier Gabet, Louvre director of Objects of Art orchestrated this event. Mr. Gabet chose wings and alleys that do not usually attract a crowd. In the galleries of the Louvre Department of Decorative Arts, he has interspersed iconic designer fashions and accessories.
The art and fashion objects either blend in or have their own niche. The two main exhibition attractions are accessories and fashion. I found myself reading the descriptive labels about why the designer chose to link their decorative arts style with their design to make a statement. They tell the story that links the fashionable object with its historical styling.
Karl Lagerfeld designs were sometimes inspired by an 18th century piece of furniture. One two-piece outfit has the similarities to a chest of drawers with the rounded details and blue and white color. The feathered skirt was inspired by a bird in the oak chest. This ensemble was also part of Lagerfeld’s last collection. Coco Chanel’s lacquer paravent (screen) inspired the Lesage-embroidered, silk evening coat.
Designer, Erdem Moralioğu’s deconstructed dress is made from chintz curtain scraps from the Duchess of Devonshire (d. 2014) family archives. The 1860s curtains from Chatsworth House form the 1940/1950s silhouette. The great-granddaughter of the Duchess hand-embroidered the detail using 17th and 18th century floral designs.
With the sheen and the gold fringe, Donatella Versace’s mini dress fits in well with the 18th century Louis XVI setting. The orientalist-influenced dress required a double take from me. Not only does it “echo” the style, I thought it was one of the chairs.
Accessories Treasure Hunt
Accessories are subtly placed among the historical art objects. The opaque labels are so discreet, your eyes miss what your feet pass by. During an interview with the exhibition curator, Mr. Gabet mentioned a bag and gloves. I was puzzled that I had missed them. I retraced my steps back to the Byzantine section. I found the hazelnut clutch and the velvet, stone-encrusted gloves to match. However, the gloves were designed for a man; the clutch for a woman.
Looking through the compact exhibition catalog, I know realize I missed the Chanel bird resembling one from 500 A.D. No matter, I stumbled upon the Rosenberry for Schiaperelli purse with eyes. The surrealistic purse rested on a table. The purse legs bore a striking resemblance to the 1750 walnut and oak table. This fascinating treasure hunt can take hours! Plan to step out for lunch and return. You will not be disappointed.
Another of the most unusual accessories is the JW Anderson evening clutch (small hand purse) which looks like a real pigeon. The 3-D purse is a reinterpretation of a Eucharistic dove that held communion hosts. The clutch, which opens by lifting the right wing, can hold keys, or credit cards or cigarettes. Demna for Balenciaga used 3-D design for the armour-style gown. He printed the gown in 3D of galvanised resin. The gown, lined with a flocked black fabric, is inspired by Henri II’s armour.
One of my favorite designers in this exhibition is John Galliano for Christian Dior. Two designs either mimic the plush furnishings in the theatre drawing room or mimic the stance of Louis XIV. John Galliano’s red gown in rich, velvet and ermine in the theatre drawing room blends in with the furnishings. If you blinked, you would think it was the carpet or a settee. The dress in the Louis the XIV room dominates the other models as it mimics the Bernini cabinetry reliefs and the Hyancinthe Rigaud painting of Louis XIV.
This is a Not-to-Miss Exhibition
I highly recommend this visit. Avoid Mondays. A reservation is necessary. Store your belongings in a locker in the “vestiaire”. Any non-functioning lockers, ask an attendant to reboot the lock. Pictorial directional signs will help you on track, including a diversion to the Mona Lisa. This video is an excerpt from “Dans les coulisse de l’exposition”. It is worth watching the complete, short behind-the-scenes video at the exhibition. The video shows you all the intricate and delicate work that goes into ensuring all the pieces are handled with the care of a valuable art object and look just right on the mannequins.
This couture and art exhibition of over 100 fashion and accessory pieces is nestled within the periods of Byzantine, Middle Ages, Renaissances, Baroque and onward to the 18th century, 19th century. The treasure hunt exhibition is well-worth the visit and fun as well.
The Catalogs – the Maps – Curator video (in French)
Beaux Arts is in English and gives an overview of the exhibition. If it is unavailable, check the news kiosks around the Louvre.
The official catalog (in French) is relatively small compared to other coffee table books. This makes it easier to put in your luggage and comfortable to handle reading with both hands. The catalog contains not only a mega quantity of photos of the fashions and accessories as they were seen on the runways. The influential historical object is shown with details as well. The cover of the catalog features two dresses in detail (Lagerfeld and Gautier). The Demma for Balenciaga evening dress in the Napolean III dining room is the centerpiece.
The Treasure Hunt Maps – Find what you are looking for on the downloadable treasure map guide online or with the QR Code at the information desk. Pick up a copy of the Louvre Museum Map. To tempt you, the Louvre has a page with images.
YouTube presentation – In this video, Olivier Gabet explains his ideas and the concept of the exhibition in French. Fix the subtitle captions for English.