Paris Haute Couture

Karl Lagerfeld defined fashion as a language that creates itself in clothes to interpret reality.  Fashion finds its highest expression in haute-couture, so if fashion is a language, haute couture is its form of poetry. Superior fabrics sourced from the best materials, fastidious workmanship and meticulous detail stand behind every garment. An army of skilled professionals look after every ribbon, button, fold and pleat. Not unlike a commissioned work of art, this effort and training comes together around one unique piece, made for one individual, who will get to wear this one of a kind creation made to order.

Paris welcomes every year, in January and in July, about thirty haute couture fashion shows and about forty male fashion shows. They are lavish mises en scène, providing a backdrop of creativity, imagination and whimsy, to showcase both the contemporary and the atemporal. This year, there is a very special treat for fashion enthusiasts. The world of haute couture is celebrated in a special exhibition organized by the City of Paris and held in the Hotel de Ville,  highlighting 150 years of history of fashion in around 100 creations. Dresses, sketches and photographs illustrate the evolution of this art that made Paris the fashion capital of the world.

“Haute couture consists of secrets whispered from generation to generation. If, in ready to wear, a garment is manufactured according to standard sizes, the haute-couture garment adapts to any imperfection in order to eliminate it,” said Yves Saint-Laurent. In this show we can appreciate the vision, excellence and choices that have elevated haute couture into an artform.  From the magnificent collection of Galeria, the Fashion Museum in Paris, the curators have brought forth the work of the thousands of extraordinarily talented individuals created these masterpieces stitch by stitch.

Every day more than 2000 visitors come to the Hotel de Ville to admire the talent of the greatest designers and dressmakers, from Christian Dior to Lanvin including trailblazers like Paul Poiret or Azzesine Alaïa.

Paris Haute Couture
Hôtel de Ville- Salle St-Jean – 4th arrondissement

Métro Hôtel de Ville et Châtelet.

Through July 6, 2013
Open daily from 10am to 7pm ( closed Sundays and public holidays)
www.paris.fr/haute-couture

Organized by the City of Paris, in collaboration with Galliera Musée de la mode de la Ville de Paris with the support of Swarovski.

Admission is free.