What an extraordinary exhibition curated by Véronique Belloir, on the social role of buttons at Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris ! The museum located in the Louvre, bought Loïc Allio’s vast collection completed by 792 worthy pieces by artist Henri Hamm, who used to create buttons for Doucet and Worth during the first World War..

The first vision is a wall of portraits including one of sculptor Edmé Bouchardon, who wears a lavish coat decorated with buttons. They enliven the costume and give it style and power.

A series of glass windows show diffferent materials used for buttons from mother of pearl to leather, ceramic and papier maché, raffia and glass. Precious objects, evening purses or sculptures made in the same material give the buttons a precious background.

Then men’s vests and « habits à la française », where buttons mark the degree of distinction and are mostly esthetic. This is one of the surprises of the show. Ladies never wore buttons until the 19 th century ! but men loved them…

Ladies’ little boots (bottines) and gloves or coats also show buttons as ornements. A group of Schiaparelli (have you read her biography by Meryle Secrest at Knopf ?) eccentric coats and dresses with butterfly buttons or jewellery buttons compete with Chanel and Courrèges. The research work is fascinating with so many photographs by Horst among others, showing how the clothes exhibited here, were worn.

On the second floor, are the darker years of the war with patriotic buttons, painted in blue, white and red and less lavish costumes. This exhibition is a fun as the one on corsets last year and it will bring the crowds back to Musée des Arts décoratifs (until July 19th)