Shopping in Paris: French Fashion 1850–1925

The glamorous and cutting-edge fashions created in Paris have always inspired American dress. This exhibition explores the American experience abroad between 1850 and 1925. Such luxurious designs as the House of Worth and the classic elegance of Lanvin are being paired with American fashions based on these Parisian prototypes. 

Featuring nearly twenty-five garments from the Museum’s collection—many of which are rarely (or have never been) displayed—these outfits are accompanied by an exciting array of accessories. Photographs and film clips from the early twentieth century will be on view, giving audiences a sense of the storyline around each garment and the woman who would have worn it. 

View more objects in the exhibition >> 

As a complement to Shopping in Paris: French Fashion 1850–1925, the Perelman Building Library has an accompanying exhibition (Something to Wear: Fashion in Print 1850-1925) featuring books on fashion, the fashion industry and consumer culture. The exhibition includes fashion plates, periodicals, and ephemera (store souvenirs and trade catalogs) from this time period and highlights major changes and innovations in the fashion world from the late 19th to the early 20th century. 

Sponsor 

This exhibition is made possible by a generous gift from Joan and Bernard Spain. 

Curator: Dilys Blum • The Jack M. and Annette Y. Friedland Curator of Costume and Textiles 

Location: Joan Spain Gallery, first floor, Perelman Building