On a vu et aimé l’expo « Gianni Versace Retrospective », au musée Maillol

Musée Maillol

Gianni Versace is the glamorous couturier of the 1980s-1990s, the man behind “That Dress”, the famous black safety-pin dress worn by Liz Hurley, the gold and black Barocco print, or the advertising campaigns starring Madonna. The musée Maillol (7e) presents his most fascinating creations until October 31. What is it about?One hundred and twenty silhouettes and 600 objects and archives for a total immersion in the world of Gianni Versace! The rooms follow one another, first revealing the fabrics that marked the Italian's work, then the artists who inspired him, before arriving at his creations displayed on 99 mannequins and 21 busts. We rediscover Versace, friend of the stars, admiring photos of the dresses he designed for Madonna, Elton John, Céline Dion, Prince and Lady Diana. We also see videos of the runway shows where the supermodels of the 1990s – Linda Evangelista, Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer – surround the couturier. Not forgetting the costumes he designed for the shows of Maurice Béjart, William Forsythe and Roland Petit. The exhibition “Gianni Versace Retrospective”, at the musée Maillol (7e). ; Crédits : Audrey Ly Sortir à Paris Gold, panther print and oronton, a metallic fabric he invented… We are very far from minimalism with Gianni Versace! ; Crédits : Audrey Ly Sortir à Paris The famous Barocco print by Gianni Versace. ; Crédits : Audrey Ly The cut and materials in the foreground. ; Crédits : Emma Birski No garment is as emblematic of Gianni Versace as his richly printed silk shirt. ; Crédits : Emma Birski The editorial teams's opinionOne of Gianni Versace's most famous quotes is inscribed on the walls of the exhibition: “Those who are afraid of color are afraid of life.” One thing strikes us as we walk through the rooms of the musée Maillol (7e), which has become resolutely pop for the occasion: the Italian designer certainly bit into life with gusto! We already knew his baroque prints, his outfits inspired by orthodox madonnas or the Medusa head, adopted as the emblem of his fashion house. But what we appreciated even more in this retrospective was discovering the fashion designer's love for Paris. It was in the capital that this son of a modest Italian seamstress became a star and where he presented his first haute couture line in 1989. It was also here that he opened his very first boutique in 1991 – at 62, rue du Faubourg-Saint-Honoré (8e) – and where he dazzled with his last collection, on July 6, 1997… Nine days before being assassinated by a fanatic in Miami. Comprehensive and fascinating, this exhibition is a must-see for fashion enthusiasts. Some rooms are very densely packed – much like his style – but the whole remains captivating. And even if you're not passionate about catwalks, you easily get swept away by the energy of the 1990s, the legendary runway shows and the unapologetic exuberance of his world. As for us, it mostly makes us want to add a bit of color and baroque to our outfits! Éléonore V. What to see, what to do, what to admire: we tell you everything in the Expos! newsletter.

Source: Paris Open Data ↗