This opened at the end of March and ended on the 24th July. I expect that most of you wouldn’t have been able to visit so here are a few snapshots of a fascinating show. It was an inspired decision to hold the show at the Musée Bourdelle, found down a quiet back street in the 15th arrondissement, for this former sculptor’s studio is the perfect setting for the work of a woman who considered herself a sculptor of fabric.
The fine jersey she used in a width of 2.8 metres was pleated into bands of just 7cm wide which seems unrealistic until you see the construction from the inside. They were worn without a corset which was highly innovative in those days; Coco Chanel wasn’t the only one doing it.
Not only could she create these but the “plainer” garments are so precise. She was yet another designer who really understands fabric. Just look at these dresses and note the delicacy of colour.
Fortunately for us Yves St Laurent and Pierre Bergé bought the sketchbooks and drawings which give an insight into the creative processes of the Madame Grès studio. It’s heart-breaking to learn that the company went bust at the end.
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