The Louvre makes a major fashion statement

With the men’s collections in full swing and Couture right around the corner, the Louvre Museum today will unveil Louvre Couture, the first major exhibition to place masterworks of modern fashion—and their inspiration—within the broader context of French history and decorative arts.

Keeping company with tapestries, armour, jewels, enamel, goldsmithing, bronzes, cabinetry, porcelains and other ornamentations that embody the glory of French craftsmanship are looks by 45 houses and designers, among them Balenciaga by both Cristobal and Demna, Hubert de Givenchy, Christian Dior by John Galliano and Maria Grazia Chiuri, Schiaparelli by Daniel Roseberry, Nicolas Ghesquière for Louis Vuitton, and pieces from final collections—by Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel and by Gianni Versace—as well as leading indies like Marine Serre, Erdem, Undercover, Thom Browne and Iris van Herpen.

In all, about 100 pieces of couture, ready-to-wear, and accessories dating from 1949 to the present day are sprinkled throughout the Decorative Objects department on the first floor of the Richelieu wing. “Louvre Couture” will be fêted in grand style on March 4 with the first annual Grand Diner du Louvre, an event sponsored by Visa Infinite. At press time, organisers announced that 30 tables had already been auctioned off, meeting the fundraising goal of 1 million euros.

Star fashion curator Olivier Gabet, the new director of the decorative arts department, spoke with Vogue about the making of the exhibition and what the world’s most famous museum brings to fashion—and vice versa.

This conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.

From the Louis Vuitton spring 2018 collection by Nicolas Ghesquière, a sporty, urban riff on 18th century French style, one of several pieces by the designer included in this show.

Photo: Musée du Louvre / Nicolas Bousser