La mode du 18e siècle. Un héritage fantasmé

The exhibition’s guiding thread is clear and stimulating: to show how an idealized 18th century continues to feed fashion’s imagination. Room after room, pannier dresses, flying gowns, and neoclassical pieces engage with creations by contemporary houses and designers (Chanel, Dior, Vivienne Westwood…), revealing the persistence of a formal vocabulary spanning centuries. Among the highlights, the exceptional presence of a corset attributed to Marie-Antoinette, rarely shown, lends notable heritage and emotional value. The scenography also highlights the variety of sources—textiles, drawings, and photographs—that allow fashion to be read as a fabric of influences and interpretations. The museum’s approach goes beyond simply exhibiting relics of the past: it traces how the 18th century has been reinvented from the Second Empire to today’s camp and queer styles. This back-and-forth between heritage and current creation makes the exhibition a lively reflection on continuity and transformation of forms. The Phoebus Foundation, a major lender for the exhibition, enabled the assembly of pieces rarely accessible to the public, enhancing the visit’s appeal. In addition to the route, expect around 1.5 hours to explore all the rooms at Palais Galliera (10 Avenue Pierre 1er de Serbie, 75116 Paris); the museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm, with Friday late openings until 9 pm (closed Mondays).

Flying gowns, polonaise and English dresses: when the female body breaks free The route opens with the creative effervescence of the 18th century. Women’s fashion is reinvented with a variety of shapes breaking former codes. Flying gowns with wide pleats circa 1720-1730, polonaise dresses raised at the sides around 1770-1775, English gowns fitted at the waist circa 1780-1790: each silhouette reflects a new freedom for the body. Flying gown, circa 1730 Lustrous fabrics, intricate embroidery, and refined accessories create ensembles of great sophistication. Tall hairstyles and precious ornaments complete these looks, celebrating both movement and elegance. The body is no longer only constrained: it asserts itself through cuts that foreshadow future evolutions. "18th Century Fashion" at Palais Galliera captures this vitality by putting period pieces at the heart of the story. Every detail—the shine of silk, the cut of a bodice, the fall of a fold—reminds us that this century is not merely a historical chapter but the foundation of a lasting aesthetic. The scenography guides the gaze room by room, highlighting the fluidity of lines as well as the precision of textile craftsmanship.

From the Second Empire to camp and queer realms, an endlessly idealized century Starting with the Second Empire, women’s fashion draws on Enlightenment aesthetics. Amid political and social upheavals, the 18th century appears as a lost paradise, a world of elegance whose nostalgia fuels creators. Three centuries of reinterpretations tracked in the route After World War II, French haute couture again turned to the luxury know-how developed during that era to strengthen its legitimacy on the international stage. The press, cinema, and entertainment arts widely spread these images and transformed this heritage into an instantly recognizable visual code. Court corset attributed to Queen Marie-Antoinette (1755-1793), circa 1770-1780 This silk bodice, laced at the back and unboned, is among Palais Galliera's most precious pieces. An interior gusset at the center of the front panel allowed insertion of a wooden busk for rigidifying only the front. Its wide neckline and short sleeves liken it to the boned bodice of the formal court gown, an essential outfit for ladies presented to the king and queen. The bodice, dotted with pinholes, was given to Madame Eloffe, one of the queen’s fashion merchants, for ornamentation tests. Exceptionally presented to the public due to its extreme fragility, this corset embodies Marie-Antoinette’s central role in fashion history. The exhibition traces this evolution by showing how the past is constantly idealized and adapted to each generation's aspirations. The 18th century ceases to be just a historical reference and becomes an autonomous aesthetic. It resonates with contemporary imaginations and today flirts with kitsch, camp, and queer universes. "18th Century Fashion: A Fantasized Legacy" at Palais Galliera reveals these metamorphoses over three centuries of creation.

Chanel, Dior, Westwood: when haute couture extends the wardrobe of the Enlightenment. The journey brings together period dresses, accessories, textiles, graphic arts, and photographs in a staging that abolishes chronological boundaries. 18th-century pieces and contemporary creations respond to each other from room to room, revealing the enduring presence of a formal vocabulary born during the Enlightenment. This rare piece dialogues with the creations that have followed it over the decades. Visitors discover 18th-century outfits alongside designs by Chanel, Christian Dior, Louis Vuitton, Christian Lacroix, Vivienne Westwood, or Dries van Noten. The Phoebus Foundation, a major lender for the exhibition, made it possible to bring together exceptional 18th-century pieces usually inaccessible to the public. Polonaise dress and skirt, circa 1770-1775. The itinerary alternates epochs to highlight continuities and reinventions. A flying gown from around 1720-1730 is placed next to a contemporary creation that reprises its volumes and spirit. The scenography highlights these visual echoes without imposing a chronological break. Each silhouette tells a story of transmission and creative freedom that spans centuries without losing its strength.