Housed in a magnificent building, the department contains over 10,000 garments and accessories dating from 1700 to 1799. The collection includes both men's and women's fashion, as well as children's clothing. It is particularly strong in French fashions of the 18th century, but also includes clothing from other European countries and the Americas. This hidden gem is home to an impressive collection of art and artefacts from the 18th century, making it the perfect place to while away an afternoon.
The 19th-Century Costumes Department at the Palais Galliera museum in Paris is one of the most comprehensive collections of fashion history in the world spanning over 100 years of fashion. The department holds over 12,000 items, including dresses, accessories, and textiles dating from the early 1800s to the early 1900s. Highlights of the collection include a dress worn by Empress Eugénie (1826-1920), wife of Napoleon III; a crinoline (a type of hoop skirt), dating from 1856; and a dress made by Charles Frederick Worth (1825-1895), considered to be the father of haute couture.
The museum holds countless exhibitions on various aspects of fashion throughout history, but is especially known for its excellent collection of clothing from the first half of the 20th century. The museum's holdings include clothing, accessories, photographs, and other fashion ephemera from designers such as Coco Chanel, Christian Dior, and Elsa Schiaparelli. The collections are arranged chronologically and thematically, making it easy to trace the development of specific styles and trends.
Palais Galliera is home to one of the world's most extensive collections of haute couture. The collection comprises over 10,000 garments and accessories dating from the eighteenth century to the present day. The haute couture collection at Palais Galliera is particularly strong in twentieth-century designers, with notable examples by Coco Chanel, Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, and Jean Paul Gaultier. The collection also includes important pieces by a number of lesser-known designers, providing a comprehensive overview of the history of haute couture.
The Palais Galliera contemporary department is a large and diverse collection of art and artefacts from the last hundred years. The collection includes everything from fashion to furniture, and is one of the most comprehensive collections of its kind in the world. The department is constantly expanding, and new acquisitions are added on a regular basis. In addition to purchasing new pieces, the department also accepts donations from private individuals and organisations.
The collection provides an intimate insight into the lives of the women who wore these garments, as well as a fascinating history of fashion. Some of the more notable pieces include a pair of 18th-century stays (a type of corset), a napkin worn by Empress Eugénie during her coronation in 1853, and a pair of silk stockings netting that belonged to Marie Antoinette.
The Accessories Department comprises two collections: fashion accessories and costume jewellery. The Accessories Department at the Palais Galliera holds over 30,000 objects, most of which are fashion accessories dating from 1780 to the present day. The collection includes items from some of the world’s most renowned designers and houses, such as Chanel, Dior, Givenchy and Schiaparelli. It is one of the largest and most comprehensive collections of its kind in Europe.
The Prints and Drawings Department of the Palais Galliera, Paris's Fashion Museum, is home to one of the richest public collections of fashion-related works on paper. The diversity of the holdings, which comprise over fifty thousand sheets, provides an overview of the main currents in French graphic art during this period and highlights the crucial role played by prints and drawings in the development of modern art.
The Palais Galliera is home to one of the world's most important photography collections - particularly strong in fashion photography, with over 40,000 prints and negatives documenting the history of fashion from the 1800s to the present day. The collection includes works by some of the most renowned photographers of the 19th and 20th centuries, such as Henri Cartier-Bresson, Man Ray, Robert Frank, and Annie Leibovitz.
The year 2018 honours the 50th anniversary of the Vogue Paris Foundation, which mirrors the strong engagement of Vogue Paris and the Palais Galliera in contemporary design. The retrospective at Palais Galliera brings together around 100 garments spanning Alaïa’s entire career from 1982 to 2017, including many iconic pieces that have never been seen in public before. The exhibition also features a selection of sketches, photographs, and catwalk videos that provide an insight into Alaïa’s creative process.
The Palais Galliera was authorised to architect Paul-René-Léon Ginain by Marie Brignole-Deal, the Duchesse de Galliera, as a setting for her broad art exhibition and a method for her to make her works of art, sculptures and objets d'art accessible to as wide a crowd of people as could really be expected. Building started in 1878 and the Palais was finished in February 1894.
Enclosed by a garden and openly inspired by Palladianism, the Palais Galliera epitomises what is known as the 'Beaux-Arts' style, exceptionally famous in the 19th century and frequently used for public structures. The royal residence is a composite of numerous architectural references, however, the Renaissance prevails in the structures.
The Palais Galliera is an ideal architectural illustration of development in the late 19th century in blending architectural tradition with technical innovation: underneath its cut stone is a supporting metal structure. Development was by the organisation having a place with Gustave Eiffel, referenced on the structure grants under the heading 'Ironwork: Mr. Eiffel, builder'. The flight of stairs, railings, the windows and the doorway to the square undeniably came from the very studio that created the Eiffel Tower.
In his career and his work Paul-René-Léon Ginain is the actual epitome of true 19th century engineering. Brought into the world in 1825, he studied under Lebas at the Ecole des Beaux-Expressions in Paris. Victor of the Prix de Rome in 1852, he spent four years at the Manor Medici, where he made himself an expert on the engineering of times long past and the Renaissance.
The Palais was commissioned from architect Paul-René-Léon Ginain by Marie Brignole-Sale, the Duchesse de Galliera, as a setting for her extensive art collection and as a suitable venue to host grand social events. Its opening in 1897 was a much-anticipated event attended by the cream of Parisian high society.
Completed in 1894, it originally served as the city's museum of art and history. Since 1977, it has been home to the Musée Galliera, the city's fashion museum. The 'Beaux-Arts' style is a type of architecture that was popular in the 19th century. This style is typified by the Palais Galliera, which is surrounded by a garden and inspired by Palladianism. This style was often used for public buildings.
In 1954, the Palais Galliera underwent a major renovation that doubled its exhibition space. This turning point coincided with a Salon of Painters Who Witnessed Their Times, which was organized by Aldo Cardozo and featured works by Francis Bacon, Salvador Dali, Pablo Picasso, and other artists.
The Palais Galliera was founded in 1897 by Baroness Gestetner and was originally known as the Musée des Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Paris. In 1971, the museum was renamed in honour of Countess Galliera, who was a renowned fashion designer and close friend of Baroness Gestetner.
1. Opening Hours:
It opens from 10 am to 6 pm.
2. Location:
10 Av. Pierre 1er de Serbie, 75116 Paris, France
3. Accessibility: