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10 fashion exhibitions to discover in France in 2025
From the first major fashion exhibition at the Louvre to the little-known history of wax at the Musée de l’Homme, including a retrospective dedicated to Dolce & Gabbana and a journey through the friendship between Mugler and Alaïa… Numéro unveils its selection of fashion exhibitions to discover throughout France in 2025.
By Louise Menard,
and Camille Bois-Martin.
Delphi, Paul Poiret model deposit 1920–1921, circa 1945 © Les Arts Décoratifs.
Paul Poiret’s legacy celebrated at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs
Christian Dior once said that he had overturned everything. He overturned the restrictive lines that had confined women’s bodies. And he overturned, once and for all, the very image we have of fashion today. Designer Paul Poiret is the focus of a monographic exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs until January 11th, 2026. After an apprenticeship in Charles Frederick Worth‘s studios, the designer launched his own faashion house in 1903.
His collections were defined by the fluid lines of his silhouettes, making the corset that had structured the garments of that era outdated. The exhibition traces back the impact of this hedonistic designer on the early 20th century, a period that crowned him the “King of Fashion.” Even though the house closed in 1929, the galleries bear witness to the enduring legacy of this institution nonetheless. More than 500 pieces are on display, from cinema and decorative arts to creations by Yves Saint Laurent and John Galliano inspired by Paul Poiret.
“Paul Poiret, Fashion is a Feast,” exhibition on view until January 11, 2026, at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris 1st.
Rick Owens seen by Rick Owens at the Palais Galliera
“I hope that each one of you will find, in one way or another, a reflection of yourself here,” Rick Owens said in an introspective and moving statement. Temple of Love is the evocative title of the exhibition dedicated to the American designer at the Palais Galliera. Conceived as an autobiography by Rick Owens himself, this retrospective immerses visitors in his mystical and radical universe and explores over 30 years of creation and aesthetic avant-gardism. Alongside numerous personal archives, 100 emblematic silhouettes echo the works that have fuelled the designer’s imagination, from Gustave Moreau‘s paintings to installations by artist Steven Parrino.
“Rick Owens, Temple of Love”, exposition open until January 4th, 2026, at the Palais Galliera, Paris 16th.
Yiqing Yin’s ethereal silhouettes exhibited in Calais
More than 80 years after the decline of the house of Poiret, she emerged the chosen one, tasked to bring the institution back from limbo as its creative director. Designer Yiqing Yin is now presenting her first monographic exhibition, “Air and Dreams”, at the Cité de la Dentelle et de la Mode. Awarded the ANDAM First Collections Prize barely a year after her graduation, the designer quickly established herself as the new figure to follow on the Parisian scene.
Using tulle and Japanese organza, she crafts ethereal silhouettes from fabrics of barely palpable delicacy. Beyond her garments, the exhibition links different disciplines. Yiqing Yin created the costumes for the ballet Tristan and Yseult and clothes worn on many perfumers’ campaigns. The Calais museum invites us to an experience at the verge of dreams, celebrating no fewer than 70 creations by the designer, who became the first China-born creator to receive the haute couture label in 2015.
“Yiqing Yin, Air and Dreams”, exhibition open until January 4th, 2026, at the Cité de la dentelle et de la mode, Calais.
Fragonard inaugurates a Museum of Fashion and Costume in Arles
While the Rencontres de la Photographie are in full swing in Arles, another cultural event is enlivening the Provençal city. On July 6th, 2025, the perfume house Fragonard will inaugurate a Museum of Fashion and Costume. Housed in the Bouchaud de Bussy mansion – renovated for the occasion – the institution is devoting its first exhibition, “Collections-Collection”, to the textile treasures of the region. Gathered from across Provence by two collectors, Hélène Costa and Magali Pascal, the pieces on display bear witness to the rich local heritage. Dresses, costumes and adornments found in the exhibition trace back the history of the women who brought the region to life from the 18th to the 20th century.
“Collections-Collection”, exhibition open until January 5th, 2026, at the Musée de la Mode et du Costume, Arles.
Coco Chanel settles à Monaco
The French Riviera in the 1920s. Gabrielle Chanel‘s work was in full bloom. the designer was already imposing her vision of womanhood – independent and free from all social norms. Through some thirty pieces signed by Mademoiselle Chanel, works by artists like Pablo Picasso and Kees Van Dongen, as well as period photographs, the Nouveau Musée National de Monaco traces back the early days of the house and the special bond linking the designer to the principality. From stage costumes to some of the first sportswear pieces, “Les années folles de Coco Chanel” (“The roaring twenties of Coco Chanel”, ed.) illustrates Gabrielle Chanel’s decisive influence on fashion. A showcase of the breath of modernity she brought at the dawn of the century.
“Les années folles de Coco Chanel”, exhibition open until October 5th, 2025, at the Nouveau Musée National de Monaco, Monaco.
Charles Frederic Worth’s couture shines at the Petit Palais
Although his name may be less familiar to the general public than Christian Dior or Yves Saint Laurent, Charles Frederic Worth left a lasting mark on fashion and greatly influenced the 20th century. This is evidenced by the exhibition dedicated to him, spread across more than 1,000 square meters at the Petit Palais. When he founded his eponymous brand in Paris in 1858, the British designer was establishing himself in an industry still in full development. That same decade, Le Bon Marché opened its doors, and, with it, textile commerce became available to new social classes.
But Worth’s fashion was made for the elite. He dressed Empress Eugénie and, later, the American writer Mary Curzon. Opera coats, tea gowns, ball gowns… The couturier’s meticulous craftsmanship and sumptuous fabrics – all displayed in the museum’s vast galleries – quickly made him a leading figure, one now credited with giving birth to French haute couture.
“Worth, inventing haute couture,” exhibition open until September 7th, 2025 at the Petit Palais, avenue Winston Churchill, Paris 8th.
A unique exhibition at the Galerie Dior
In the ever-changing Parisian landscape, the townhouse at 30 avenue Montaigne rises like a sanctuary. And for good reason! This legendary venue, taken over by Monsieur Dior himself in 1946, saw the very first collections of the house and now houses a space dedicated to exhibitions and memory – the Galerie Dior.
Encompassing a collection of 150 silhouettes, spanning ready-to-wear, couture, ballet costumes and accessories, with original sketches and photographs, this new retrospective takes us on an immersive journey into the heart of the Dior archives. For the first time ever, the exhibition highlights the founder’s and his successors’ love of dance and theatre. An event that naturally pays tribute to the house’s heritage, while allowing visitors to (re)discover the immense influence of the arts on the collections over the years.
Galerie Dior, 11 Rue François 1er, Paris 8e.
“Azzedine Alaïa. 1980/1990, Two Decades of Artistic Affinity” at the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation, Paris 4th. © Photo Julien Vidal
Alaïa and Mugler: A foundational friendship in fashion history
This exhibition was born from the enduring friendship between two titans of fashion: Azzedine Alaïa and Thierry Mugler. Behind their successes lies a long story of mutual support and admiration, which shaped and deeply influenced their creations for over three decades. After meeting in 1979, Alaïa designed a series of tuxedos presented at Mugler’s show that same year.
Encouraged by this collaboration, Alaïa went on to launch his own fashion house. Mugler introduced him to top fashion journalists and even organised his very first New York show, designing both the set and the guest list. Together, they reigned over fashion in the 1980s and 1990s, infusing glamour and vitality to that era, while still enriching their respective creative worlds. This prolific and captivating relationship is now being explored within the walls of the Azzedine Alaïa Foundation this Spring.
“Azzedine Alaïa. 1980/1990, Two Decades of Artistic Affinity”
March 3 to June 29, 2025, Fondation Azzedine Alaïa, 18 Rue de la Verrerie, Paris 4th
The untold history of wax at the Musée de l’Homme
Though wax fabric is now an emblem of African identity, its origins are global—stretching from Indonesia to the Netherlands and Togo. This exhibition traces the evolution of wax fabric, from Dutch attempts to mimic Indonesian prints to its rise in Ghana and worldwide influence.
Photographs by Kenyan artist Thandiwe Muriu meet fashion pieces by Maison Château Rouge and WOWO Paris, while the show also explores hidden meanings in wax prints and questions of cultural appropriation. The exhibition raises fundamental points for reflection, ones that are essential to understanding the often underestimated and plundered richness of wax fabric.
“Wax: Between Heritage and Reappropriation” Until September 7, 2025 at the musée de l’Homme, Paris 16th
Christian Lacroix’s stage costumes at the CNCS
While Christian Lacroix is widely known as a leading couturier of the 1990s, few are aware of his rich career as a costume designer—an unexpected path he took following the closure of his fashion house in 2009. Featuring opera, musical, and theater costumes, as well as original sketches, the exhibition Christian Lacroix and the Stage at the CNCS reveals a lesser-known facet of the designer’s oeuvre.
Heavily inspired by 18th- and 19th-century fashion, the costumes—crafted from lace, ruffles, corsets, and sumptuous silks—also echo a broad swath of the looks he imagined earlier in his fashion career. A chance to dive back into the vibrant archives of a couturier who left an indelible mark on French fashion history.
