“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” Chanel
There are exclamation points in Paris that exemplify the constant conversation between all things involved with design, fashion and style — which is to say, everything in Paris! The entrance to the Louvre museum is one of those exclamation points. The ancient fortress (built in the 12th – 13th centuries) and later used as a Palace for the French kings (1546), is fronted by the very modern glass pyramid by I.M. Pei. This is a perfect example of the juxtaposition of the old with the new and how the two complement, relate and speak to one another — the goal of the current exhibition at the Louvre.
Inside the Louvre until, July 21, 2025, is the exposition entitled “Louvre Couture. Art and Fashion: Statement Pieces.” This fascinating showcase of couture fashion creates a dialogue between clothing, art and history.
As fashion designers well understand, clothing is more than fabric imposed on the body. One only need page through a book on fashion history to see how clothing represents, reflects and expresses a particular culture and it’s philosophical ideas and narratives. To say it more pointedly: Clothing is Art, is Culture; no less than paintings, sculptures and music. And, that is the goal of this exposition, to place fashion design squarely within the realm of the arts, to demonstrate the very real connections from concept, to expression.
Fashion designers have long been influenced by works of art, translating the vocabulary and motifs of iconic artwork into clothing and accessories. In this show, selections of garments from both historical and contemporary designers illustrate the very artistic nature of haute couture and the underlying craftsmanship required to execute such creations as wearable art.
There are established, recognized “Maisons” such as Dior, Chanel, YSL, Balenciaga and Balmain along with emerging new designers exploring and reinterpreting historical influences for the current era. It is impossible to miss the underlying common themes of form, color, pattern, texture and structure. This places fashion well within the traditional arts and emphasizes its cultural role. Additionally, the clothing is situated within and alongside the art or decorative furniture with which the clothing connects.
For example, a Dior piece reflects the elegance of the Baroque period, while Iris van Herpen uses innovative materials and current technology to create a gothic cathedral dress.
Dries Van Noten uses a textile printing technique to transfer the image of a 17th century Flemish tapestry onto a coat, a direct influence on his fashion design. In contrast, Marine Serre uses pieces of actual historic textiles to assemble a new garment with medieval heritage while reflecting the contemporary value of recycling.
Matthieu Blazy for Bottega Veneta, reaches even further back in history, creating a hybrid animal — part woman, part fish. Greek texts describe dangerous sea monsters that lured sailors to their deaths — mermaids! Jeremy Scott for Moschino imagines furniture as garments: “The moiré fabric imitates wood grain, while the exaggerated hips echo the curves of Rococo – style furniture,” with the metallic embroidery referencing the bronze surface decorations affixed to the furniture.
Lee Alexander McQueen for Givenchy evokes the military majesty of Emperor Napoleon with a high collar jacket embroidered with brass thread and sleeves that terminate in cuffs so oversized as to suggest a cape. The entire ensemble rendered in white wool suggesting a pure, God-like perfection. A not so subtle reference to Napoleon’s Coronation in 1802.
Rick Owens design, also all in white, suggests the Egyptomania at the very end of the 18th century (just after Napoleon conquered Egypt and prior to his coronation) using a pharaonic headdress and sensual, body hugging pleats that bring to mind Nefertiti.
This exhibition illustrates the creativity and innovation built on influences of traditional art that has always inspired designers in all forms of artistic expression, including fashion. It prompts one to ask what speaks to and influences your personal aesthetic.
Do you like the visual texture of tapestry or the interplay of sleek materials such as wood, glass and metals in sculpture? Are you attracted to Baroque luxury or the precious adornments of the Victorian era? Do the sinuous lines of Orientalism draw you or the clean, geometric shapes of Art Deco? The beauty is there is no either/or, right or wrong answers. The influence of art is part of our own past and informs our Purely Personal style as much as it does fashion designers!
