Paris : Figures De Mode : Xive-Xxie Siècle, Ce Que Disent Nos Vêtements

A new garment, revolutionizing wardrobes, rarely comes from nowhere. The court gentleman's doublet was borrowed from the knight in armor, the heel was masculine before becoming a symbol of femininity, the men's pants of 1789 downgraded the aristocratic breeches, the frock coat was none other than the riding coat of the other side of the Channel, adapted to urban life, and the sailor coat conquered the mainland... This is how wardrobes work: a garment is imposed at the same time as it passes from one sex to another, from one country to its neighbor, from one class or profession to the whole society. By detaching itself from its primary function, it takes on codes and becomes eloquent. 

In this game of adoptions and transfers, Paris, capital of fashion and sensitive plate of the history, occupies a very particular place. From military uniforms to work clothes, Soline Anthore Baptiste tells the story of these astonishing detour through seventy iconic fashion pieces.