In all, about pieces of couture, ready-to-wear, and accessories dating from to the present day are sprinkled throughout the Decorative Objects department on the first floor of the Richelieu wing. At press time, organizers announced that 30 tables already had been auctioned off, meeting the fundraising goal of 1 million euros.
At left, a metallic knit and organza couture look by Rabih Kayrouz, fall When I arrived, in , [Louvre president-director] Laurence des Cars and I spoke a lot about all the programming we do around contemporary creation.
It also makes sense because we have longstanding ties with fashion, whether through shows staged here by houses like Louis Vuitton and Dior or acquisitions and renovations that have been supported by the private sector, notably LVMH and Kering.
That said, the Louvre exists a bit above the fray. But fashion can change how people look at us. It was very precise. But we do have 32, art objects, among them works left to the Louvre by Madame Carven, pieces that belonged to Jacques Doucet and a beautiful diamond box that belonged to Yves Saint Laurent.
When you look at that, and the birth of haute couture, and how collecting allowed all these designers to consolidate their social status, there are deep cultural, societal, sociological reasons for us to do this.
