Dior displays 126 haute couture pieces in a Parisian palace for Fashion Week

Paris is alive with hand-sewn silhouettes. At the heart of Fashion Week, a Dior haute couture exhibition takes place in a palace, for a rare tête-à-tête with the garment. In this way, the house opens a parenthesis of precision and emotion.

A palatial setting for 126 exceptional pieces

The event brings together 126 haute-couture pieces from the workshops and archives. In palatial salons, these models interact with the moldings. What’s more, the scenography favors proximity, without barriers.

As part of Paris Fashion Week, the Dior haute couture exhibition offers a clear itinerary. You move from room to room, as close as possible to the volumes. Light reveals embroidery, folds and hand-finishing.

Access is restricted in order to preserve calm. Mediators answer questions about materials and workshop times. So everyone can take their time and look around.

“You can feel the hand in every stitch.”

What we see up close

This Dior haute couture exhibition reveals unfiltered materials. Tulle, organza, faille and satin appear on the busts. In short, the tour shows how ideas become garments.

The spring-summer 2023 season focuses on draping and a sober palette. In this way, long silhouettes let the hands and the rhythm of the embroidery do the talking.

• 126 pieces presented in a palatial setting.
• An itinerary designed for close-up viewing.
• Opening times to coincide with Fashion Week, limited capacity.
• Mediation on techniques and materials.
• Recommended visit time: 30-45 minutes.

Dior’s heritage and couture’s present

The House of Dior was born in 1946, and in 1947 imposed the New Look. The Bar jacket remains the basis for workshop design. Its marked waistline still shapes many pieces.

Under the direction of Maria Grazia Chiuri, the atelier reinterprets these codes. The Dior Haute Couture exhibition rigorously brings these markers into the present. Volumes gain in suppleness, without losing their hold.

The 126 silhouettes show a wide arc, from archival years to recent releases. We see the infinite number of hours spent on a hem. As a result, we measure the value of time.

Autumn-Winter 2023-2024 emphasizes textures and the warmth of materials. On the other hand, the line remains sober, almost monastic, to better emphasize the cut.

Preparing your visit

The event takes place during Paris Fashion Week, in a central palace. Schedules follow the rhythm of the shows and teams. So it’s best to check your schedule before you leave.

To enjoy the Dior haute couture exhibition, arrive a few minutes early. Allow 30 to 45 minutes for the tour. Also, ask about the photo rules, which are sometimes limited.

Why this selection counts

Sewing embodies a chain of crafts, from the canvas to the last stitch. These pieces help us to understand this language, room by room. From now on, young craftsmen will find concrete reference points.

In a fashion capital, a Dior haute couture exhibition acts as an educational showcase. It highlights living, demanding French know-how. As a result, it nurtures transmission.

Visitors often speak of a silent emotion in the face of clothing. And yet, nothing is theatrical: it’s all about the cut and the material. And everyone leaves with a detail in mind.

Beyond Fashion Week, this Dior haute couture exhibition will remain a seasonal landmark. In short, it links history and the present, from sketch to finished dress.

• Dior haute couture exhibition