Image courtesy of Palais Galliera

Anatomy of a Collection at Palais Galliera

Who wears what? This is the question put by the Palais Galliera’s Anatomy of a Collection exhibition. Ranging from court wear to work overalls and from celebrities to unknowns, the exhibition draws on the Galliera collection for around a hundred garments and accessories illustrating fashion from the 18th century to the present day. 

Image courtesy of Palais Galliera

Examples: from among all the corsets in the Museum’s storerooms, Anatomy of a Collection is presenting Marie-Antoinette’s; and from among all the blouses, one that belonged to a First World War nurse whose name has not come down to us. 

Image courtesy of Palais Galliera

The Dauphin’s suit, Napoleon’s waistcoat, Empress Josephine’s dress, Cléo de Mérode’s riding jacket, a worker’s trousers, a dress belonging to George Sand, Sarah Bernhardt’s cape, a Zouave’s uniform, Mistinguett’s T-bar shoes, Gala Dali’s shoe-hat, a workman’s apron, Audrey Hepburn’s outfit, Elsa Schiaparelli’s overcoat, a dress worn by the Duchess of Windsor, Tilda Swinton’s pyjama suit, and more.  

Image courtesy of Palais Galliera

A hundred items with or without pedigree, but identified with the people who wore them. Anatomy of a Collection is a selection of garments with historical associations that reflects the essence of the collection and the complex task of attribution demanded by each of these heritage pieces. An invitation to discover all the rich variety of the Museum’s holdings.

Palais Galliera, City of Paris Fashion Museum
From 14 May to 23 October 2016

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