From Musée des Colonies, to Museum of African art, to Musée de l’Histoire de l’Immigration ! Political correctness has won in this beautiful 1930’s building located near Porte Dorée, East of Paris. It has the most impressive hall with mosaics on the wall and a beautifully crafted wooden floor. The building was conceived for Exposition Coloniale of 1931 and it is flamboyant but far from the center of Paris so it doesn’t attract as many visitors as it should.
So the brilliant idea of exhibiting dresses by « immigrant designers », (understand foreign fashion designers who won fame in France) has attracted crowds. Who would have ever thought of Worth, Molyneux and Galliano as immigrants? As Brits they form the largest group with Japanese designers like Kenzo or Issey Miyake. Spaniards Balenciaga and Antonio Castillo, Russian Sonia Delaunay and Belgian Martin Margiela. The result is fabulous and using political correctness with wit and style, Olivier Saillard, curator of Musée de la Mode, shows how clever he can be. A whole spectrum of 150 years of fashion seen through the eyes of foreign designers can only entice the French to love their «émigrés ».
So run to Palais de la Porte Dorée, as it is called casually, for you will discover a beautiful building with Rullmann furniture and Jean Prouvé gates but also a joyful défilé of great fashion. (until May 31)
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2 Comments on “Immigrant and famous”
Am arriving Thursday and will try and see the Museum of Immigration
Tu fais découvrir un tas de choses aux Parisiens. Chère Laure.
Laurence