A guide to must-see fashion from ‘Louvre Couture’ at MFAH

There is no wrong way to experience “Louvre Couture at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston,” though there is a recommended route. Why? Perhaps it’s best to start on the right foot — all puns intended.

A towering, 12-inch-tall platform shoe, “Death in Venice” (1995) from the archives of Maison Christian Louboutin is on level 2 of the Audrey Jones Beck Building. It’s near what show organizers have described as a corridor containing multiple pièces des résistance. 

And, it’s the route endorsed by MFAH Director and Margaret Alkek Williams Chair Gary Tinterow and musée du Louvre Department of Decorative Arts Director Olivier Gabet: top and ground floors of the Beck Building first, followed by level 2 of the Nancy and Rich Kinder Building. A handy little map helps visitors navigate the journey.

The Louvre Museum’s inaugural fashion exhibition, “Louvre Couture,” won over international audiences in Paris earlier this year. Two of the show’s biggest fans include Tinterow and MFAH curator Christine Gervais, who flew to the City of Light last March to see it in person. They returned spellbound and with a grand idea.

“Louvre Couture at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston” opens today, Nov. 19, with a carefully edited adaptation of its French predecessor. The original featured more than 100 looks. Houston’s rendition counts 36 outfits and accessories from 23 fashion houses, presented alongside works from MFAH’s collection. Several sartorial pieces are unique to Houston and were not previously shown in Paris.

At least one look may never be seen publicly again.

Perhaps the most magical and surprising aspects of the show are the various, unexpected connections to Houston and Texas. Like the Schiaparelli haute couture dress designed by Plano native Daniel Roseberry worn by Beyoncé. 

Gabet points out that the biggest difference between “Louvre Couture” in Paris and Houston is that the former is narrower in terms of physical space and wider in terms of breadth of selection.

“Here, we’ve created more of a promenade with fashion acting as a bridge,” he says, standing beside the crimson and white toile, chintz curtain and embroidered gown from Erdem’s ready-to-wear spring/summer 2024, which greets patrons fresh off the Beck Building’s level 2 escalator and elevator. “It’s not meant to be systematic, but an opportunity to rediscover the (MFAH) collection. Even if you don’t care about art, which is sad, you can re-experience it through fashion.”

Gabet talks a lot about freedom. There’s freedom in the dialogue Gervais and fellow MFAH curator Cindi Strauss exercised, pairing “Louvre Couture” clothing and accessories with artworks from MFAH’s collection. And there’s freedom in the sartorial designs themselves. 

As a whole, the show is essentially a fashion flex. Consider Karl Lagerfeld’s “Ensemble from the Métiers d’Art Paris-New York Collection” (2018-19).

“His Egypt Métiers d’Art collection was one of his last collections for Chanel before he died,” Gabet says. “Karl was never literal. He loved the freedom to mix the high and low, different materials, whatever you want. Like the younger generation does today.”

Tinterow pays him high praise, explaining that Gabet selected extraordinary garments by each designer that represent the summit of their talent.

Take a Versace metal, mesh and Swarovski crystal-embroidered “Dress, Haute Couture Fall/Winter” (1997-98) covered in Byzantine-era crosses. Gianni Versace was at the height of his influence, having recently dressed and befriended Princess Diana. Unfortunately, the Italian designer was murdered in Miami mere weeks after haute couture week 1997.

An adjacent case containing a range of Byzantine objects includes a Chanel “Necklace, from the Métiers d’Art Paris-Byzance Collection” (2010-11). 

“Accessories on silver platforms throughout the show help visitors distinguish items from ‘Louvre Couture’ on their treasure hunt,” Tinterow notes.

Six of the 25 selections upstairs in the Beck Building are Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel. A sequined “Ensemble, Haute Couture Fall/Winter” (2010-11) is a showstopper. Thousands of tiny paillette sequins intricately weave and dart to mimic basket weaving. 

“All of the ladies have asked, ‘How do you sit in something like that? ‘” Tinterow shares.

He and Gabet answer in unison: “You don’t.”

They agree on another point, too. Karl Lagerfeld and John Galliano for Christian Dior are the heroes of the exhibition.

Standing in front of an intimidating, brass-and-metal “Dress, Haute Couture Fall/Winter” (2006-07), Gabet references John Galliano’s process. He reportedly spent months absorbing everything there was to know about a topic — armor, in this case — into a binder, then shelved his findings and began work on the garment. It’s shown alongside “Wedding Armor Breastplate” (c. 1550-1600) on loan from musée du Louvre.

A fellow Christian Dior artistic director with a penchant for medieval art, Maria Grazia Chiuri, has a “Dress and Necklace, Haute Couture Fall/Winter” (2018-19) which incorporates lily of the valley, a favorite flower of the fashion house’s namesake, in the show.

Downstairs, on level 2, a John Galliano “Jacket and Skirt, Haute Couture Spring/Summer” (2007) illustrates the designer’s obsession with and connection to Japan.

Jeremy Scott’s silk, brass, plastic, sequin-beaded “Dress, Ready-To-Wear Fall/Winter” (2022-23) is fashioned to resemble a chest of drawers. The whimsical piece, which references Walt Disney and Salvador Dalí, is unlikely to be on public display again following Scott’s departure as Moschino’s creative director. 

The intentionality of “Louvre Couture” part deux is felt throughout.

An animal print “Inez Evening Coat and Makeba Trousers, Ready-to-Wear Fall/Winter” (2024-25) ensemble by Nigerian-born Duro Olowu references his African heritage. 

“Duro is a very good friend,” Gabet says. “I texted him a picture of his installation here, and he was very pleased.”

Early in the Chronicle’s preview tour, Tinterow referenced the museum’s duty to offer stimulating works and the visitors’ duty to respond. Given the queue outside of the “Louvre Couture’s” recommended starting point at MFAH on Wednesday, Houston is up to the task.