We loved the exhibition "Weaving, embroidering, sublimating. The know-how of fashion"

This first exhibition is dedicated to the skills used to refine and decorate clothing and accessories. These techniques are explored through the theme of the flower, a staple motif in textile art and fashion since the 18th century.

With over 350 works (clothing, accessories, photographs, graphic arts, samples, tools...), the exhibition reveals creations from haute couture houses as well as pieces by young artisans, some of which were specially created for the event. A unique opportunity to dive into the heart of fashion craftsmanship.

The editorial staff's opinion

For this introduction, the focus is on skills related to ornamentation, from weaving to lace-making, including printing, embroidery, and dyeing. The common thread of the exhibition, the flower, omnipresent in fashion and decorative arts since the 18th century, makes a multitude of motifs bloom before our amazed eyes, with inspirations coming a little from here, but mostly from elsewhere.

A parasol enhanced with dahlias recalling the elegance of wagasa – those famous Japanese umbrellas –, a "Sac des Indes" clutch by Van Cleef & Arpels covered in gold and precious stones, a Christian Dior bustier dress with orientalist arabesques: we travel through an aesthetic enamored with exoticism, which the postcolonial context and maritime exchanges with the Orient and the Maghreb largely nourished in the 18th and 19th centuries.

While the tour immerses us in the complexity of the loom, the virtuosity of the art of lace, or the mysteries of lurex, it does not drown our gaze in a pile of highly specialized information. Because beyond the production stages, it is above all the silhouettes in their final version, impressive in their beauty and elegance, that are presented to us.

The artisans on display

Here, above all, we take the time to slow down. Exit the race against time typical of Fashion Week runway shows: for once, fashion is contemplated, while making visible those who work in the shadows, whether they are embroiderers, weavers, ornament makers, feather workers, dyers, or lace makers. In the heart of this cozy scenography, talents meet, know-how is told, and the behind-the-scenes of artisan workshops and great fashion houses are unveiled... one thread at a time.

Eva Y.

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