BOSTON, MA.- On November 12, 2006, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA) will debut Fashion Show: Paris Collections 2006. This major museum exhibition will bring together the very latest designs from 10 of the most influential and creative fashion designers of our time. Fashion Show will feature luxurious and provocative clothing seen on Paris runways in 2006 including designs by Azzedine Alaїa, Hussein Chalayan, Chanel, Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, Maison Martin Margiela, Rochas, Valentino, Viktor & Rolf, and Yohji Yamamoto. Featuring eight to10 pieces from each house’s spring couture or fall ready-to-wear collection, the exhibition will explore contemporary fashion in Paris, from the elegant and iconic to the audacious and avant-garde, and will include some of the most challenging and imaginative designs to hit the runway in years. It will also offer a glimpse into the reasons why Paris has remained the center of the fashion world for more than 300 years. Fashion Show will remain on view in the MFA’s Gund Gallery through March 18, 2007.

“Taken directly from the Paris runways earlier this year, the garments comprising Fashion Show: Paris Collections 2006 capture the originality and immense talent of those at work in the fashion world,” said Malcolm Rogers, Ann and Graham Gund Director of the MFA. “From haute couture to experimental ready-to-wear designs, it’s clear to see that we are in the midst of one of the most exciting periods in the history of fashion.”

The fashion houses and designers participating in Fashion Show reflect the diversity and talent that is the hallmark of contemporary Paris fashion. Some houses, like Chanel and Valentino, continue to follow the tradition of haute couture, while others such as Maison Martin Margiela and Yohji Yamamoto push fashion’s boundaries in order to reevaluate long-held traditions of how clothing is made and worn. Still other designers, such as Hussein Chalayan, treat fashion as a social commentary, using the runway as a tool of artistic expression to explore world events, environmental issues, or the status of women. These differing styles will be captured in the exhibition. Each fashion house’s installation will reflect the unique environment in which their runway collection was originally shown. Music, mirrors, special lighting, and video of the original shows will intensify the excitement of the experience, ranging from the dramatic atmosphere of Christian Dior’s runway with its chanting music and deep scarlet lighting, to the reflective and subdued tone and hues of Yohji Yamamoto’s show.
Fashion Show will include:

• Azzedine Alaїa – Alaїa, who does not show during fashion week, prefers instead to create timeless garments, not bound by particular seasons. He remains an innovator and his styles continue to be much sought after due to their fine craftsmanship and his precision in cut and fit.
• Hussein Chalayan (Fall 2006 Ready-to-Wear) – The creative and conceptual work of Chalayan is seen in this collection that emphasizes comfort referencing overstuffed furniture with armchair-like leather collars and a paneled, wood grain-printed silk dress.
• Chanel (Spring 2006 Couture) – Pure Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld’s collection features youthful updates of the classic suit, as well as feminine, beautifully-crafted dresses that subtly reference house signatures.
• Christian Dior (Spring 2006 Couture) – Part French Revolution and part Marquis de Sade, John Galliano’s bold and seductive collection includes large and dramatic red satin capes, laced leather biker pants, and tight corsets.
• Christian Lacroix (Spring 2006 Couture) – Lacroix’s romantic and poetic collection presents clothing that mixes historic costume references with memories of his Provençal upbringing. His mix of color, fabric, and textures coalesces into a collection that’s accessible and classic couture.
• Maison Martin Margiela (Spring 2006 Artisanal Collection)–The collection features garments made from recycled items, such as pants made from gas mask bags or a vest made of costume jewelry. Long a cornerstone of the Margiela lines, the pieces in the Artisanal collection are made by hand in the atelier and are unique.
• Rochas (Fall 2006 Ready-to-Wear) – Inspired by chimney sweeps, Olivier Theyskens captures the mystique of the Rochas woman in shades of black and grey. From Victorian-inspired pantsuits to evening dresses that evoke billows of smoke, Theyskens’ poetic clothing reflects the craftsmanship and elegance of the past.
• Valentino (Spring 2006 Couture) – Graceful designs in soft shades of ivory, pinks, and lilac characterize Valentino’s latest collection. These couture creations are a lighter variation on Valentino’s more heavily luxurious looks of the past. However, the collection is not without a signature dramatic red gown befitting a Hollywood superstar.
• Viktor & Rolf (Fall 2006 Ready-to-Wear) – Viktor & Rolf’s fall ready-to-wear collection takes on such classics as the little black dress, the French trench, and crinolined evening dresses. The rigidity of these traditional styles is emphasized by the literal stiffness of various details––from a bow to an entire bodice––electroplated with silver, as one might preserve a baby shoe.
• Yohji Yamamoto (Fall 2006 Ready-to-Wear) – Inspired by menswear, suits dominate the current work of Yamamoto. However, Yamamoto delivers the unexpected, with pants that unzip at the bottom to become dresses, oversized coats that when opened reveal form-fitting jumpsuits or corsets beneath and jackets with an extra pair of sleeves that act as scarves.

Pamela Parmal, David and Roberta Logie Curator of Textile and Fashion Arts, is the curator of Fashion Show. Having attended the Paris runway shows, Parmal has worked closely with each house and designer to select the garments to be shown.

“The fashion industry has evolved considerably over the centuries, and never more than in the last few years, as the runway show has moved from the house salon to the theater,” said Parmal. “Having the opportunity to show these contemporary runway fashions demonstrates that creativity and craftsmanship are still present in the work of today’s most talented designers.”