The Louvre Couture show. It's like Where's Waldo but make it fashion.

How lucky was I to be in Paris when the Louvre is having its first exhibition of couture fashion. I have never clicked Buy on a ticket so fast.

The exhibition features over 200 pieces from the most highly regarded fashion houses and spans from 1960s to the 2020s. I went in blind — didn't read any reviews — so I had no idea what to expect. The show is huge — the pieces are spaced throughout the Decorative Arts galleries in the Richeleu wing of the Lourve and I had a loads of fun blasting music in my headphones and bouncing from room to room spotting the fashion alongside the decorative art pieces they reference. The curator, Olivier Gabet deserves a lot credit for this innovative way to display fashion in context to periods in art and material history. I definitely lingered on the objects in the room, sometimes more than the fashion, and found some inspiration for my own work.

I'm no art or fashion historian so I won't even try to speak with any authority about the exhibition, but it was just a joy to wander around in and as a textile designer, it's instructive to understand how brands use historic references to create something new and exciting for our present moment. The exhibition was great, but I am a little embarrassed to admit that I missed everything in Napolean's Apartments. Yeah, total face palm moment. There are two entrances to the exhibition — one directly in front of you, which leads to Napolean's Apartments and the other to the right, which leads to everything else. I went right and figured I'd seen everything because I mean, the exhibition is literally a mile long or something like that. But it turns out there are about 10 more items Napolean's apartment. And as I was buying the exhibition book I realized my mistake and I thought about going back in, but the entry way was so packed and I'd already long overstayed my allotted two hour time slot. Learn from my mistake and go straight to Napaleon's Apartments then come out and see the rest of the what's there through the entrance on the right. On my way out I bought the exhibition book, even though it's in French. Seems like just the hack I need to learn some French. There are interviews with the designers and essays about how the exhibition was curated.

Louvre Couture is on view until July 2025.

Here are some of the looks that are still living rent free in my head, weeks later.

This Rabih Kayrouz ensemble was placed among items from the medieval period.

Don't skip what's in the display cases. There's couture in there, like these Chanel cuffs alongside a necklace from the byzantine period.

 Iris Van Herpen 3D printed dress in front of a tapestry from the Late Middle Ages

Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel. I am captivated by the open eyelets that are woven with fabric strips to make the dress fabric.

JC De Castelbajac design featuring Bambi motifs in front of a medieval tapestry featuring a woodland scene

Alexander McQueen dress beside an ensemble by Bottega Venetta.

This Daniel Roseberry for Schiaparelli dress looks like flames and seems to reference the motifs on the religious vestments of the Renaissance period.

These accessories from Louis Vuitton, Louboutin, and Chanel are giving Armored Warrior Bitch.

This Balenciaga dress, made of galvanized resin, was displayed amongst armor but it also gives Maschinenmensch, the humaniod-robot in Fritz Lang's Metropolis.

This gorgeous gown made of raffia is from Fendi and looks magnificent on this floor surrounded by this tapestry

A spectacular room, with an ornately painted ceiling and a blue dress from Christian Dior and made of miles and miles of organza features a giant lion motif front and center. I loved how the color of the gown picks up on the color of the robes the queen is wearing in the center medallion on the ceiling.

The spectacular details on the back of a coat Schiaparelli coat. The coat is in the same room as the magnificent Dior gown shown above.

A coat from Dries van Noten. Love how this coat has a print inside and out. 

This is all elegance. A stunner by Karl Lagerfeld for Chloé. I'm not the person he envisioned wearing clothes he designed. Despite that, this design speaks to me.

I had been hunting for this Loewe dress and by the time I found it, my dogs sure were tired. This dress is made of glass beads and it's spectacular. Worth the hike.

A beautiful ensemble by Duro Olowu. Look at the buttons on that coat. Love the clash. What a detail!

Danel Roseberry for Schiaparelli bag with legs that reference Louis XV style furniture of the 1750s.