Anatomy of a collection

Jean Paul Gaultier, "Seins obus" dress, Autumn / Winter 1984-1985, "Barbès" collection. From the Palais Galliera's collections - © Eric Poitevin/ADAGP, Paris 2016

Jean Paul Gaultier, "Seins obus" dress, Autumn / Winter 1984-1985, "Barbès" collection. From the Palais Galliera's collections - © Eric Poitevin/ADAGP, Paris 2016

From 14 May to 23 October 2016, and from 3 Novembre 2016 to 12 February 2017

From 3 November 2016 to 12 February 2017, the "Anatomy of a collection" exhibition will be extended and will become "Anatomy of a collection - Part II" with a new display. This exhibition will temporarily be closed to the public for its new installation from 24 October to 2 November 2016.

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 garments and accessories illustrating fashion from the 18th century to the present day.

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... The Dauphin’s suit, Napoleon’s waistcoat, Empress Josephine’s dress, Castiglione's blouse, Cléo de Mérode’s riding jacket, a worker’s trousers, George Sand's dress, 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, the Duchess of Windsor's dress, a dress worn by Jacqueline Bouvier (Jackie Kennedy), and more... Two hundred items with or without pedigree, but identified with the people who wore them.

Anatomy of a Collection (14 May - 23 October 2016) et Anatomy of a Collection - Part II (3 November 2016 - 12 Febuary 2017) are 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.

Curator : 
Olivier Saillard, director of the Palais Galliera,
And the City of Paris Fashion Museum's curating team 

With the generous support of