Fashion exhibition of the twentieth century offers a spectacular evening gown

The castle of Versailles, residence of the kings before the Revolution of 1789 opened on Thursday an exhibition reveals the influence of the Enlightenment in the Haute Couture dress of the eighteenth century confronted with creations from fashion designers of the twentieth century.

The exhibition, which takes place in the apartments of the Grand Trianon, the luxurious castle field next to the residence of King Louis XIV, XV and XVI surprised by how difficult it is sometimes differentiating a period costume played by Maria Antoinette and Madame Pompadour models of Pierre Balmain, Christian Dior and Christian Lacroix, among others.

“The confrontation reveals the strong influence of eighteenth-century fashion in the twentieth-century couture,” says Olivier Saillard told AFP, director of the museum Galliera (the Fashion Museum of Paris) and curator of this exhibition along with fashion historian Gorguet Pascale Ballesteros.

Entitled “The eighteenth century the taste of today”, the exhibition, which ends on October 9, 2011, offers spectacular evening gowns from Dior, Chanel, Balmain, in velvets and satins embroidered with motifs typical of the eighteenth century, alongside other no less sumptuous costumes dressed princesses and courtesans in the courts of the kings of France.

“Versailles played an important role in fashion, which endures and inspires artists of our time,” said Saillard, compared to a model of Lacroix, draping and beaded embroidery palace.

There is also a creation of Olivier Theyskens for Rochas house where you plan the ghost of Marie Antoinette, while Karl Lagerfeld, artistic director of Chanel, was inspired by Watteau’s delicate painter for some of their models.