What if you rediscovered the Centre Pompidou collections through the eyes of the greatest designers? The National Museum of Modern Art has imagined this unprecedented fashion stroll by bringing together seventeen haute couture models with some of its greatest masterpieces, like this iconic silver corset by Jean-Paul Gaultier showcased look with an erotic-blasphemous canvas by the surrealist painter Wilhelm Freddie, or this neo-futurist look by Marine Serre opposed to the “failing machine” of Marcel Duchamp. We then plunge into a parallel world where the geometric madness of Robert Delaunay merges with the psychedelic pop of Charles de Vilmorin, the Harlequin of fashion appointed artistic director of the Rochas house at just 23 years old.

Here, the metallic portrait of Martial Raysse meets the gaze of Alber Elbaz, while The Bride and Groom of the Eiffel Tower by Marc Chagall twirl alongside the sculptural silhouettes of Iris van Herpen. And what about the marriage of the metaphysical compositions of Giorgio De Chirico with the audacity of Martin Margiela or the union of the fauve palette of Henri Matisse with the elegance of Yves Saint Laurent? In this exhibition, opposites attract, elective affinities emerge and the correspondences between styles and eras are fully assumed.

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DELAUNAY FREEWHEEL

How about taking a ride in one of Robert Delaunay’s most famous paintings? In the midst of the Roaring Twenties, the painter recreates the bubbling effervescence of Parisian funfairs by taking us into a whirlwind of electric colors and endless records. By daring contrasts and merging warm tones with cold hues, the artist here makes color sing and creates a cosmic work that looks like a gigantic rainbow puzzle. A few tiny details inexorably bring us back to earth, like this pair of black legs suddenly emerging in the middle of the canvas or this discreet portrait of Tristan Tzara, Dada poet and faithful friend of the painter who here seems quite indifferent to the waltz of the elements. .

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DELAUNAY CHARLES DE VILMORIN STYLE

Almost a hundred years after the Robert Delaunay tornado, the Little Prince of fashion Charles de Vilmorin imagines in spring 2021 this ultra-pop and sophisticated ensemble freely inspired by the master's painting Le Manège à porcs. Facing this masterpiece of modern art, this so-called “French style” dress proudly stands, composed of an oversized jacket with asymmetrical shoulder pads, a hand-painted taffeta paneled skirt, a horsehair crinoline and matching leather boots. With this haute couture creation which caused a sensation on the catwalks, the designer in the grip of geometric fever brought original cuts and flashy colors up to date in a ballet of arabesques as irresistible as they are captivating.