Look! 40 Years of Fashion at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs

The Musée des Arts Décoratifs (MAD) in Paris celebrates its 40th anniversary with the exhibition 'Look! 40 ans de mode au musée', running from September 30, 2026, to April 4, 2027. The show presents forty iconic silhouettes from the museum's collection, spanning four decades of fashion history. Highlights include works by Madeleine Vionnet, Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Dior, and Comme des Garçons. The exhibition not only displays finished garments but also offers a behind-the-scenes look at the museum's operations, including restoration workshops, technical files, embroidery samples, drawings, patterns, and model deposits. It explores how a dress enters a national collection and how it lives within it, transforming fashion shows into artistic performances and fashion photographs into artworks. The exhibition underscores the museum's role in preserving and transmitting fashion heritage. A significant portion of the collection originates from the Union française des Arts du Costume (UFAC), founded in 1948 by couturiers to safeguard fashion patrimony. When the Musée des Arts de la Mode opened in 1986, UFAC transferred its unique collection to the museum. The exhibition is held at 107 rue de Rivoli, 75001 Paris, open Tuesday to Sunday from 11am to 6pm, with late hours on Thursdays until 9pm. Admission is 18 euros, free for visitors under 26.