The turbans of Rembrandt, the scarves of Élisabeth Vigée Le brun, the trousers of Rosa Bonheur, the dressing gown of Balzac by Rodin, the wig of Andy Warhol, the snake-dress of Niki de Saint Phalle... Does the habit make the artist? For the first time at the Louvre-Lens, art and fashion dialogue in an unprecedented exhibition. From the toga to the electric dress, from the ceremonial costume to the overalls and the work blouse, the artist’s clothing reveals both an era, an artistic intention, and the artist’s place in society. This route brings together more than 200 works, combining paintings, sculptures, clothing, haute couture creations, drawings, photographs and videos, from the Renaissance to the present day. It highlights how artists tell a story of clothing; but also how fashion designers have been inspired by the history of art, from Yves Saint Laurent to Christian Dior. Because clothing can be a work and a work can be a garment, it is a language in its own right that artists have never stopped exploring until today.
Echoing the textile history of the Hauts-de-France region, the Louvre-Lens is appealing to the talents of the future. The museum partners with five institutions, from colleges to professional training courses in fashion trades, to create tailor-made mediation devices, from cartels increased to a nomadic materiauthèque.