Archival Fashion in Paris

The study of 20th Century Lingerie, France.

In July 2021, I had the opportunity to participate in a couture masterclass in Paris. This masterclass took us around various Parisian ateliers, workshops and museums. The best part about this class was that it was held in the Musée des Arts Decoratifs, which is in the northwestern wing of the Louvre.

One of my favourite days was our trip to the library, a few floors below our studio. They had every fashion book you could think of and books I’ve only dreamed of seeing.

The library was filled with books of documentation in almost every category. From architecture to gardens, war and sculptures, these books dated back to the 19th century with real archival pieces.

The fashion archives were my favourite, take a look at some of my finds below.

I love to see how similar garment construction is today & how much it’s changed. You can really see the similarities in our patterns now with this corset above.

The romance of this image felt so true to my brand. It’s had a lasting impression on my designs and aesthetic.