PARIS.- 'Louvre Couture' recently closed its doors to the public. Over the course of seven months, it admitted over a million visitors (1,059,205), making it the second most visited exhibition in the history of the museum after the 2019 monographic presentation dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci.
Unique in its scenography and its chosen topic, 'Louvre Couture' offered a fresh and fascinating dialogue between masterworks from the Department of Decorative Arts and key pieces from the history of contemporary fashion from 1960 to 2025. Covering nearly 9,000 square metres, the exhibition featured a hundred different looks and accessories. Each piece was selected for its intellectual or poetic resonance with the history of the decorative arts, shifting styles, craftsmanship and ornamentation; each piece represents an exceptional loan made to the Louvre for the first time by 45 of fashion's most emblematic houses and designers.
Beyond this resounding accomplishment, 'Louvre Couture' also succeeded in introducing, for the first time, a young audience to the Louvre's illustrious collection of objets d'art – the largest in the world.
'Inviting a new public to wander, to dawdle, and to explore an emblematic collection, “Louvre Couture” spoke to scholars and novices alike, eliciting the same fervour. This extraordinary success validates our cross-discipline approach with its multitude of perspectives, consecrating the Louvre's staying power as a source of inspiration for all creators. In many ways, the museum, with its vast supply of styles, provides fertile ground for endless influences. This is not just one more record-breaking accomplishment for the Louvre: it also confirms that our initiatives to refresh the museum's relationship with its visitors, and to foster inquisitiveness, are going in the right direction. For all this and more, I commend the bold approach and rigorous talent of the exhibition's curator, Olivier Gabet, Director of the Department of Decorative Arts, who orchestrated this triumph along with his conservation team.' ---Laurence des Cars, President-Director of the Musée du Louvre.
'The history of art as presented by the Louvre, through the dazzling depth of its collection, offers visitors a rich glimpse into how tastes have changed over different periods. Couture has always had its place at the Louvre. I am glad that the parallels we highlighted resonated with their audience; over the past few months, I was moved to see that the wider public, and especially our younger visitors, were receptive to this presentation. Seeing the way their gazes were captivated by a silhouette, then drawn to the Louvre objects around them for a long moment of excitement and surprise – that alone paid the highest of compliments to the Department of Decorative Arts team. I would like to warmly thank the fashion houses and creators who loaned out their collections: none hesitated when we asked them to extend their loan, allowing the public to enjoy the exhibition for a few extra weeks.' --- Oliver Gabet, Director of the Department of Decorative Arts, exhibition curator.
