Welcome to The Director’s Cut, an interactive column featuring fashion, beauty and career advice from RGNN Director and Founder, @isabelevabohrer.
“Du Cœur À La Main.” “From the Heart to the Hands,” read the first part of the Dolce & Gabbana exhibition. Yes, the one that was oh so successful first in Milan, and has now arrived in Paris at the Grand Palais.
What an iconic monument to start off with; the Grand Palais, constructed for the Universal Exposition of 1900, closed for renovation in 2021 and only resumed its rich program of events for the 2024 Olympics to host fencing, wheelchair fencing, taekwondo, and para-taekwondo competitions.
An opulent location – for an opulent exhibition. Curated by Florence Müller, with scenography by Agence Galuchat and produced by IMG, the exhibition brings together more than 200 pieces from Alta Moda, Alta Sartoria and Alta Gioielleria. It’s a journey through eleven immersive rooms, starting off from the heart of what makes Dolce & Gabbana, Dolce & Gabbbana: the fatto a mano, the handmade.
Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana know what they are doing when it comes to artisanal creations, as does the exhibition know how to showcase them. Italian traditions, – hello, Sicily, Milanese opera and la dolce vita in general, – are deeply rooted in the designs, and you can get a glimpse at the atelier, covered in a plethora of fabrics, buttons, embellishments and so much more. I walked through it twice because I love seeing all the details up-close.
My favorites? The spaces titled “White Baroque” and “The Art and Craft of Glassworking.” The former makes you want to get engaged, married – or married all over again if you already are. The latter, with a perfectly fitting soundtrack of one glass shattering after another, leaves you exiting the exhibition in pure awe.
Dresses, made entirely of glass, are on view, as are the matching shoes in every shade. As a huge shoe lover, my camera roll really was on a roll… you can see the entire gallery, just of shoes, here. Imagine wearing one of those creations out and about. Not a realistic thought. But the thought of how they all, along with the accompanying chandeliers, were transported to the Grand Palais without breaking, in itself is astonishing.
In fact, the exhibition will continue its world tour after closing in Paris on April 2, 2025. So don’t despair if you can’t make it to the French capital in time. You can follow @dolcegabbana_exhibit on Instagram or sign up for the newsletter here to be the first to find out where it is heading next.
From the heart to the hands. For me, as a spectator and journalist, it is the other way around. My hands are penning this review. But the moments I strolled through these immersive rooms will stay in my heart forever.
Plan your visit
“Du Cœur À La Main: Dolce & Gabbana” exhibition.
- At the Grand Palais in Paris until April 2, 2025.
- More information and tickets here.
- The exhibition will be going on world tour after that. Follow @dolcegabbana_exhibit on Instagram or sign up for the newsletter here to be the first to find out.
Thank you, Dolce & Gabbana, for inviting us.
Questions or comments? Follow me on IG @isabelevabohrer or TikTok and say hi! See you soon!
