Ooh-La-La: The Fashion Issue, Vol. 2

Musée de la Mode et du Costume de la Ville de Paris

As I’ve mentioned, last weekend, I went to the Musée de la Mode et du Costume de la Ville de Paris. It is a very small museum with no permanent exhibitions, but as is true of many places here, it has many architectural advantages, including a beautiful garden and stunning galleries. It is currently hosting an exhibit curated by the fashion designer Jean-Charles de Castelbajac. I wanted to share a few highlights from the show with you, which you might find interesting whether or not you care about what you’re wearing. And if any of you accompanied me to a certain film “festival” this past winter, you will be glad to see that I was reunited with a certain animated character.

Here is image of the front inner courtyard, and another of the garden behind the museum (the photographs are part of the de Castelbajac exhibition)"





The first room of the exhibit was an installation based on the Rubik’s Cube. The label offered some metaphor about the Rubik’s Cube and the creative process, but I just liked the installation with all of the nostalgic enthusiasm of a child of the 1980’s. I’ve tried on several occasions to take clever self-portraits for this blog, but without much success. Oh well, you’ll have to settle for seeing me in the Rubik’s Cube Room.






After walking through a room based on the concept of the Curiosity Cabinet (and don’t we all love those!), there were two large galleries with works by de Castelbajac, from the full span of his career. Here are a few that I just thought people might find amusing or interesting.








And Tara, Honna, and of course, Meredith (because I remember very well how much you loved this film!), the Hello Kitty film was playing right next to the Hello Kitty mask itself.



And in closing, de Castelbajac had made chalk drawings on some of the elegant pillars of the museum. Here is one telling visitors goodbye: