When Fashion Meets Art: The Louvre Couture Exhibit
- Louisa Gabriel
- May 7
- 5 min read
Updated: May 8
Last week, during a business trip to Paris, I decided to take time away from the hustle and bustle of business and spend some time reigniting my passion for everything fashion and style. After all, there's no better place than Paris, the fashion capital of the world, to remind you of your love for fashion and why you decided to become a personal stylist and Image consultant, and even start your own online fashion school.
Of course, my activities involved lots of people watching...there's something about Parisian style that is so creative but also so seemingly effortless, that you can spend hours just watching, admiring, and trying to figure out the secret to Parisian style. (If you want to know, then check out my post on the French girl fashion aesthetic.)
And of course, there was shopping involved... lots of shopping involved! Not only is Paris home to some of the best fashion designers in the world, such as Chanel and Dior, but it's also home to some of the best vintage boutiques and markets where you can find unique pieces to add to your conscious closet.
But the pièce de résistance, as they say in France, the thing that reignited my love for fashion and style and left me feeling energized and inspired, was my visit to the Louvre Couture Exhibit, and I thought I would share my experience with you so that maybe it will reignite your passion too.
What is the Louvre Couture Exhibit?
If you're not familiar with Paris, then the Louvre Musee is one of the most famous museums, not only in France, but also around the world, and I'm sure you can guess, the Louvre Couture Exhibit is a collection of Haute Couture items from some of the world's best and most recognizable designers. But this isn't just any fashion exhibition; it's an integrated installation that recognizes that fashion is art, just like Da Vinci's Mona Lisa or Michelangelo's David. It tells the story of how fashion designers draw their inspiration from history and culture to shape their vision, and gives fashion its rightful place in the world of art.
This is also the first time in its 231-year history that the Louvre museum has opened its doors to fashion and fashionistas, making the experience even more momentous and memorable for those lucky enough to visit.
Louvre Couture: Not Your Typical Fashion Exhibit
I've been to many fashion exhibits over the years, but the Louvre Couture exhibit is by far the most incredible that I've experienced! You see, it's not just your typical fashion exhibit where the clothes are the focal point and stand alone. This exhibit is about the relationship between art and fashion, and each piece becomes part of the existing art that it connects to. As you walk around the exhibit, you get to see how each item is inspired by history and culture and how haute couture becomes a wearable form of art.
The exhibit starts in the Napoleon III Apartments, where you enter into a world of opulence and regality with gold ceilings, chandeliers, and, of course, gowns to match! I think I walked around this first part with my mouth wide open, as I was just mesmerized by the surroundings and, of course, the couture. If you look at the images below, you can see how each gown becomes a piece of art connected to its surroundings, sharing the same opulence and regality.
As the exhibit moves out of the Napoleon III Apartments and into the other areas of the Richileau wing of the museum, you're taken through many different eras from the early Middle Ages to the Second Empire. Throughout these eras, the relationship between history and fashion continues with each gown assuming its role as art in the exhibit, and connecting seamlessly together. Walking through, it's easy to see how history has been the inspiration for fashion, and the two have a special relationship which is celebrated in this exhibit!
Within the Louvre Couture exhibit, there are over 100 works of art from 45 fashion houses from France and around the world, and I got my steps in that day, as I was determined to see all of them, and try to fit in a quick hello with the Mona Lisa too, LOL. But to be honest, I didn't mind the walking, I didn't mind the five times I went the wrong way (it's not the easiest of places to navigate, even with a map), and I lost all track of time as I was so mesmerized by everything I saw.
When I finally left the Louvre, after many hours of taking it all in and taking a million photos, I really felt energized, even after walking all those steps. It was a truly incredible experience, and one that has definitely helped me to reconnect with passion and feel excited about fashion and style again, and I've got so many new creative ideas for my business.
Sometimes, as stylists, we can lose our passion when we spend so much time working on the business side of style, and it's important to do something that can help reignite our love for what we do. And while you may not be able to visit the Louvre Couture exhibit or visit Paris, think about ways that you can fall in love with fashion and style again. Maybe it's going to a local fashion show, or even a fashion exhibit at a museum near you. Maybe it's something as simple as grabbing the latest copy of Vogue and flicking through the pages, not for your clients, but doing it just for you! And maybe, just reading this blog and seeing my photos has given you some inspiration and got you feeling excited about the wonderful world of fashion and style. 🤞🏼
Happy Styling!
Louisa 💕
P.S. If this blog has got you wanting to jump on a plane to Paris, then there's still time to see Louvre Couture, it's open until July 21st, 2025. For more information visit. www.louvre.fr/en
P.P.S. Want to see a few more pics? 👇🏻
The images used in this post are the property of Louisa Gabriel. If you wish to use them for any purpose, please contact us for permission.