During the last Paris Fashion Week, crystal giant Swarovski staged an exhibition of one hundred haute couture dresses form renowned designers, such as Christian Dior, Chanel, Lanvin and Yves Saint Laurent, among others, that featured their exquisite crystals.
The Paris Haute Couture exhibition at the Hôtel de Ville showcases the embroideries created by Swarovski for Pierre Cardin, Rochas, Jean Patou, Balenciaga, Nina Ricci, Pierre Balmain, Hubert de Givenchy, André Courrèges and many more.
Maison Lemarie.
Olivier Saillard, Director of the Musèe Galliera, and curator Ann Zazzo assembled a selection of more than 20,000 dresses and accessories from the museum’s collection for the event. These pieces reflect the most delicate work done by Swarovski in collaboration with the fashion industry; many had never been shown to the public.
The exhibit gives visitors a general overview of the history of contemporary fashion. The oldest piece (from 1895) is a green velvet gown designed by the House of Worth for Countess Élisabeth Greffulhe, the muse of the French novelist Marcel Proust. It continues chronologically with Lanvin’s designs from the1920s, gowns by Chanel from the 1930s, Dior and Balmain dresses from the 50s, Mugler in the 90s, and finally reaches a 2010 Armani masterpiece. In addition to clothes, the exhibition presents a selection of engravings and photographs that explain the process behind couture: from the sketch to the final product.
