A look back at the fashion show that shattered the record books

With over a million visitors in eight months, the “Louvre Couture” exhibition is a historic success for the Musée du Louvre, combining haute couture and heritage.

Presented from January 24 to August 24, 2025, the “Louvre Couture” exhibition attracted 1.059 million visitors, making it the second most-visited exhibition in the history of the Musée du Louvre, just behind that dedicated to Leonardo da Vinci(1.072 million in 2020). An impressive figure for the museum’s first foray into the world of fashion, a field until recently considered peripheral to the institution.

Over an area of almost 9,000 m², sixty haute couture silhouettes were set against the classical backdrops of the Louvre, creating a striking contrast. Creations by Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, Pierre Balmain, Hubert de Givenchy, Elsa Schiaparelli and Jean Paul Gaultier rubbed shoulders with ancient works of art in a scenography where elegance dialogued with heritage.

The Louvre, fashion’s new playground

The Louvre’s success in attracting such a large audience reflects its strategy of breaking down the barriers between disciplines. By welcoming works of haute couture, the institution embraces a more contemporary view of creation. Far from being a mere fashion statement, this initiative is part of a clear desire to redefine the role of the museum in today’s world.

According to Laurence des Cars, President and Director of the Louvre, this exhibition confirms the relevance of opening up the museum to new disciplines: “The museum is a boundless field of influences, an inexhaustible concentration of trends.” This positioning reinforces the image of a Louvre that is anchored in its time, but concerned to preserve its artistic standards.

A French gala dinner

Another sign of this evolution is the organization in March 2025 of a charity dinner in the museum’s galleries, inspired by New York’s famous MET Gala. This “MET gala à la française” brought together designers, patrons and luxury personalities. The result: 1.4 million euros raised to support the museum’s restoration and educational projects.

This type of event allows the Louvre to promote its patronage, while capitalizing on the media aura of fashion. A winning bet that could well herald a series of similar initiatives in the years to come.

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