Hosted in the grand Palais Galliera, formally known as the Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris, retrospectives on the evolution of sportswear and the American creator Rick Owens are running all summer.
The Palais Galliera, a striking 19th-century palace, is Paris’s hotspot for fashion history. Located in the elegant 16ᵉ arrondissement, it stands just across from the Palais de Tokyo and a short walk from the Eiffel Tower.
A philanthropist’s dream…that fell apart
Commissioned by Marie Brignole-Sale, Duchess of Galliera, and designed by architect Léon Ginain, the palace is a perfect example of the “Beaux-Arts” style which was popular in the 19th century.
Started in 1878, it was originally intended for fine art exhibitions. The Duchess had expressed her wish to donate her vast art collection to the State and wanted the palace built to house it. In exchange, she could live in the palace and enjoy the museum. A few legal quirks brought the noble project to an end: the Duchess never showed her collection here, instead passing it on the Palazzo Rosso in Genoa. Upon completion of the building, she gave it to the City of Paris to do with it what they wished.
In 1895, it became a decorative and industrial arts museum. Decorative arts were deemed lower class than painting or sculpting but the museum strove to debunk these clichés and presented two yearly exhibitions showcasing contemporary works.
In the 1960s, the palace became an auction house and, in 1977, it was officially repurposed into the Musée de la Mode et du Costume de la Ville de Paris, later renamed the Palais Galliera.
