4 Must-See Parisian Exhibitions In July 2019

Marilyn Monroe and Jackie Kennedy paid due tribute, a close up on Azzedine Alaïa's Tati collection and a look at fashion from a very different angle can all be expected from the Parisian culture circuit in July.

Azzedine Alaïa, Another Way to Look at Fashion: The Tati Collection

The exhibition: In 1991, Azzedine Alaïa unveiled an unprecedented collection inspired by the pink and white tiles signature to high street department store Tati. On the designer's mood board were his close friend, Julian Schnabel's paintings: he was the first to paint on Tati canvas. The idea manifested as a rogue yet resolutely modern collection, comprised of oversized and cropped jackets, cab driver hats, and hot pants, all in the instantly recognizable pied-de-coq print. It's success was a pillarstone in the democratisation of fashion. This year, the Association Azzedine Alaïa is dedicating an exhibition to this historic collection, gathering some of the most emblematic pieces from the collection alongside the works of Julian Schnabel.

Back Side - Fashion from Behind

The exhibition: Currently closed for renovation, Palais Galliera, the Parisian temple of fashion has joined creative forces with the Musée Bourdelle in Paris for an exhibition baptized Back Side – Fashion from Behind. It’s intrigue? The back in fashion. Ready-to-wear and haute couture designs, as well as uniforms and workwear will be made the focus of the sublime museum in Paris’s 14th arrondissement, the former atelier of Antoine Bourdelle, striking a surprising dialogue between the works of the latter, and the designs of some of the biggest names in fashion, interrogating our own relationship to the back. At times bare, at others covered or even twisted out of proportion with voluminous or carefully sculpted fabrics, while the flattest zone of the body, it is by no means lacking in symbolism. Through the lens of designs by Chanel, Martin Margiela, Azzedine Alaïa and Yohji Yamamoto, this before unexplored area of the body will be paid due tribute.

Divine Marilyn

The exhibition: The French capital's Galerie Joseph will display a monumental photo series of Marilyn Monroe this month. 200 original photographs and documents will trace the meteoric rise of the Hollywood icon, from her famous final session with Bert Stern, to Milton H. Greene's personal snapshots and Sam Shaw's sumptuous collection.

Jackie, une icône

The exhibition: On July 28, 1929 in Southampton, Jackie Kennedy was born. She would marry John F. Kennedy, forever tying her to a story-worthy life, colored with victories and marred by tragedy. She marked her time with a knowing sense of style, from her pastel tailored ensembles, to the signature oversized glasses. She doted on French couturiers, Hubert de Givenchy, Coco Chanel and Elsa Schiaparelli among others. She wore an Ann Lowe dress on the day she married John F. Kennedy, a darling of American couture, with Oleg Cassini her official couturier and Diana Vreeland her consultant, reinventing the first-lady standard wardrobe and revolutionizing American style. Jackie Kennedy remains a shining example of courage and freedom. This summer, to mark the 25th anniversary of her death, the Galerie Joseph pays tribute to the American icon in an exhibition of rare photographs. 

Hanging on picture rails is a beautiful series of photos dedicated to the Kennedy part of her life, during which she was considered the “Queen of America”. Between candid shots, official photos and family snaps, the woman behind the myth shines through.