The Louvre-Lens Asks "What Do Artists Wear?"

Art has long since influenced fashion and vice versa. However, there’s rarely been a tangible dissection of the relationship between the two. Designers like Yves Saint Laurent, Marni, Loewe, and Prada have frequently referenced artworks on the runway. Meanwhile, iconic artists have often been referred to as arbiters of all-around culture and taste. For the first time, the Musée du Louvre-Lens, a northern outpost of the historic museum, has set out to thoroughly analyze the two in an exhibition titled “The Art of Dressing: Dressing Like an Artist.”

Curated by Annabelle Ténèze, Director of the Musée du Louvre-Lens, and Olivier Gabet, Director of the Objets d’Arts, the exhibition features over 200 works, including previously archived couture gowns, sculptures, photographs, and paintings.

Each room explores the complex journey of art, from the politics of the posed painter’s garb (as pictured by “Rosa Bonheur in her studio”) to the designer’s shears (like Yves Saint Laurent’s SS88 Couture, dedicated to multiple including artists Georges Braque and Van Gogh). Similarly, as guests pass between each room, they must wind between mirrors inspired by Alexander McQueen’s 2001 runway show “Voss.” The sudden reflections are meant to prompt viewers to question what they’re wearing and why.

The exhibit also portrays the creative relationships between contemporary artists, such as Marc Bohan of Dior, sculptor Niki de Saint Phalle, and even Andy Warhol, examining how different modern mediums have become increasingly intertwined.

“The Art of Dressing: Dressing Like an Artist” exhibit is open from March 26 to July 21. Advanced tickets are available online through the Louvre-Lens website. You can check out a selection of the works, including Georges Achille Fould, Henri Fantin-Latour, and Nicolas de Hoey, in the gallery above.