Jean-Denis Franoux Opens Regarderobes, a Protected Fashion Archive of 25,000 Pieces

Fashion professor and designer Jean-Denis Franoux, 56, has amassed a private archive of 25,000 garments and accessories, now structured as an endowment fund called Regarderobes. The collection, legally shielded from sale or dispersal, will be made available to schools and institutions. An invitation-only preview runs from tonight through Saturday at a private space in the Upper Marais, Paris, curated by Franoux with about 150 pieces including 50 complete looks. Highlights include a near-mint Balenciaga haute couture gown from winter 1938 found on Vinted in Spain, and over 400 original Vionnet toiles preserved since 1939. Franoux began collecting perfume bottles as a child, then clothes as a student in Paris in 1990, acquiring multiples from John Galliano, Comme des Garçons, Yohji Yamamoto, Martin Margiela, Jean Paul Gaultier, Madeleine Vionnet, Schiaparelli, Balenciaga, Madame Grès, and Jeanne Lanvin. His approach focuses on cut and construction; he values understanding how clothes are made over fame. He also collects contemporary designers like Glenn Martens for Y/Project, early Demna, and Rick Owens. The endowment fund aims to create dynamic exhibitions and publications, fostering unexpected connections across eras.