On January 24, the Louvre in Paris launched its very first exhibition dedicated solely to fashion. Called Louvre Couture: Art Objects, Fashion Objects, the exhibition looks at how the decorative arts and haute couture influence and inspire each other.
The exhibition itself comprises 100 outfits and 45 accessories created at some point between 1960 and 2025 by some of the world’s most famous fashion houses, including Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Versace, Alexander McQueen, and Chanel.
Speaking at the inauguration of the exhibition, its curator, the director of the Department of Decorative Arts at the Louvre, Olivier Gabet, said that this was ” the first time that the Louvre introduces fashion into the museum in this way.”
Indeed, the exhibition has taken over more than 9,000 square metres of exhibition space across the museum. In the room dedicated to the Sun King, Louis XIV, the current focus is a silk ball gown designed by John Galliano when he was at Dior. Meanwhile, Alexander McQueen’s iconic Armadillo shoes, which Lady Gaga very famously wore a version of in her video for Bad Romance, now sit next to a 17th-century plate.
“Paris is the capital of fashion,” Gabet continued, “there is a very close relationship between fashion houses and Paris, and the Louvre is in the heart of Paris.”
To celebrate this milestone for fashion and the Louvre, the museum has also decided to host a grand dinner, which many are comparing to the world-famous Met Gala, which takes place at the Metropolitan Museum of Arts in New York every May.
Taking place during the first week of Paris Fashion Week in March, the organisers hope that Le Grand Dîner du Louvre will bring the worlds of art, fashion, and philanthropy closer together. In fact, the main aim of the event is to raise €1 million for the museum; a figure that’s already been exceeded as the 30-plus available tables were quickly snatched up.
This should hardly come as a surprise as the awe-inspiring, glass-roofed Cour Marly, which is dotted with stunning marble sculptures, will serve as the setting for the dinner. Moreover, guests will then be invited to dance underneath the famous Louvre Pyramid, which will certainly be magical.