Du Cœur à la Main : Dolce&Gabbana
When I was studying Haute couture embroidery at École Lesage I would visit the Dolce & Gabbana boutique on the legendary Rue St Honoré. The kind sales assistants came to know me, not as a client, but as a very enthusiastic student - they would indulge my passion for craft on quiet days, disappear into the store room and return with the most embellished and embroidered garments in their collections. The magnificent creations seemed magical, with an extra sprinkling of fairy dust because I knew exactly how challenging it was to add sparkling sequins in a river and how long it took to add tiny seed pearls in the vermicelli technique! I couldn’t contain my excitement in the luxury boutique and I felt the exact same joy waiting in line for the Du Cœur à la Main: Dolce&Gabbana exhibition at the Grand Palais.
“Take a journey into the minds of two of the fashion world’s most celebrated designers in the first ever exhibition of the brand’s most revered pieces, tracing the translation of Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana’s ideas from the heart through to their realization, by hand. An immersive exploration into the narrative behind Dolce&Gabbana’s couture collections, the exhibition invites you to participate in the artistic process of bringing their creations to life, from the dream to dress. Journey through a series of multi-sensory rooms and explore the inspirations behind Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana’s iconic designs. Discover the sources that spark the designers’ inspiration and learn about the intricate craftsmanship that goes into the final pieces, embodying the values of Fatto a Mano – or hand-made. Featuring one-off items from their Alta Moda, Alta Sartoria and Alta Gioielleria collections, each room of the exhibition displays Dolce&Gabbana’s bespoke creations against a backdrop of spectacular installations that plunge you into the heart of their world. The expansive sources of Dolce&Gabbana’s inspiration unfold before you as you move from room to room, each space an homage to a facet of Italian culture that has informed their work. Spanning art to architecture, the topography of cities to music, ballet to opera, each theme is simultaneously rooted in the two founders’ abiding love of traditional craftsmanship, their Italian heritage, and passion for la dolce vita.”
The exhibition was absolutely breath-taking! It felt like wandering through the imagination, inspiration and ingenuity of two passionate visionaries, an indulgent glimpse into their world of beauty. Once again, I was incredulous about the craft and time represented in each garment and accessory, from inspiration to final conception, how many hands had participated in the creation of the pieces. Yes they were beautiful, but the exhibition was a joyful celebration of creativity and savoir-faire. My favourite part? Wandering through the studio bien sûr!I couldn’t recommend it more highly and thankfully, it is travelling around the world. You can find out more here Du Cœur à la Main: Dolce&Gabbana
If you enjoy fashion & textile exhibitions as much as me, then Textile Travels Paris is the guide for you! A digital PDF designed to help you plan your trip to Paris in advance and then easily navigate your way to textile treasures when you arrive in the City of Light. The guide is 21 pages long and organised into sections; Museums & Galleries, Studios & Boutiques, Fabric Stores & Neighbourhoods, Bookstores & Libraries, Interior Fabrics & Passementerie, Flea Markets, Classes, Events & Guided Tours. It includes a custom-made Google Map with all the wonderful listings pinned and colour-coded, making it easier to visualise the city and the distances between the places you want to visit. With 50 listings to choose from, each one includes a description of the delightful textile treasures, the website, street address and an individual link to Google Maps. Woven through the guide, there are links to Haptic and Hue podcasts that unravel fascinating stories of textiles, fashion and craftspeople that have made Paris the capital of luxury fashion and textiles for centuries.