A convergence of unbridled creativity, budding talent and the sheer audacity to challenge enduring fashion norms in 1997 – a year described by Vogue Paris as a ‘big bang’ – re-established the preeminence of Paris as a fashion capital and ushered in novel codes still seen on global runways today. The exhibition 1997 Fashion Big Bang, on show through July 16th at the Palais Galliera fashion museum in Paris, explores the dynamic shifts in and around this titular year, where avant-garde and luxury players laid the roadmap for the new millennium.
Curated by the Galliera’s own Head of Collections, Haute Couture and Contemporary Creation Alexandre Samson, the exhibition catalogues watershed collections, runway shows, designer appointments, retail openings and world events that occurred in this singular year, which have had a lasting impact on our contemporary fashion landscape.
In a U-shaped scenography furcated by thematic antechambers, the show is arranged chronologically, commencing with Spring Summer 1997 ready-to-wear, followed by the Spring Summer 1997 haute couture, Autumn Winter 1997-1998 haute couture and Spring Summer 1998 ready-to-wear shows. This seasonal timeline is complemented by momentous historical events such as the opening of the Parisian concept store Colette and the deaths of Gianni Versace and Princess Diana, contextualising the liminal state of the industry fraught with disruption far beyond the runway.