Paris is considered the fashion capital of the world and for good reason.
The French fashion label Chanel is making it possible.
Paris is considered the fashion capital of the world and for good reason. Some of the best designers have hailed from Paris, such as Christian Louboutin and Coco Chanel, and the city is currently home to the headquarters of high end brands, such as Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Givenchy, Dior, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Hermès and Lanvin. It also hosts the finale of the big four fashion weeks of the world - Milan Fashion Week, London Fashion Week, New York Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week. Even the term ‘haute couture’ was invented in Paris!
Therefore it’s high time the city got itself a fashion a museum. Turns out, Paris is currently working on constructing France’s first permanent fashion museum and is taking a donation of $6 million to make it happen. According to WWD, Chanel is partnering with Paris to finance the new space inside the Palais Galliera, with a €5.7 million euro donation.
While the Palais Galliera is already considered the Fashion Museum of Paris, it currently only displays temporary exhibits. According to a press release, the new 7,211-square-foot area will have a year-round exhibit dedicated to fashion’s history from the 18th century to today, plus a learning workshop and a bookstore.
“This initiative represents a lasting commitment to creation and to the strength of Paris, which are at the heart of Chanel’s business,” said Bruno Pavlovsky, president of Chanel Fashion, in a statement. “Supporting an institution like the Palais Galliera is part of our mission to bring fashion history to life.”
“The city of Paris is proud to be able to open this exceptional space to Parisians and visitors from all over the world,” said Anne Hidalgo, mayor of Paris, in a statement. “I would like to thank the House of Chanel for proving once again that Paris is the home of fashion.”
The government of France has been making efforts to curb the declining rates of tourism in the country, especially in Paris, ever since the 2016 militant attacks. We earlier saw the French government partnering with the Bollywood film Befikre in a bid to encourage Indians to visit the country. The addition of a highly exclusive fashion museum will definitely attract visitors from all over the world.
-With additional information from Harper’s Bazaar.
