the sacred of beauty

The Grand Palais is hosting an exceptional exhibition dedicated to the iconic creations of Dolce & Gabbana, symbol of the marriage between the sacred and the profane, fashion and art. To discover from January 10 to March 31, 2025.

It’s difficult to navigate your way easily as so many visitors flock to this exhibition. The staging is sumptuous, the exhibits magnificent. Under the subdued lights, velvet masterpieces embroidered with pearls, stone and cannetille take up the splendor of the paintings of Italian art: Raphael, Titian, Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Caravaggio etc. The eye is lost in these details, praise of handmade work, mixing art and beauty.

“There is a desire to showcase the garment, but also the source of inspiration for this garment. The exhibition is called “From the heart to the hand”, because it pays homage to the intelligence of working by hand. A hand linked to the heart, to the mind. Because we can't do anything beautiful if it's not done with the heart“, underlines Florence Müller, fashion historian and curator of the exhibition.

Another room teleports visitors into the middle of a wedding celebration, in the heart of a Sicilian village. To the rhythm of flutes, and in a colorful room from floor to ceiling, floats and dresses are decorated with festive motifs, headdresses topped with feathers. Inspiration springs from traditional Italian ceramics.

This is the first time that the Italian house has invested in Paris, a global and timeless showcase of elegance. It was here that the first fashion show on live mannequins was born under the leadership of the Franco-British designer and pioneer of haute couture Charles Frederick Worth. Florence Müller explains this choice: “Coming to Paris means being where it all began. It is an eminently symbolic approach.”

In the room called “Devotion” and dedicated to the Sacred Heart, Dolce & Gabbana do not hesitate to highlight religious art. The brochure affixed to the exit of the piece specifies: “creation cannot be done without a complete gift of oneself to one's artistic work“. We can guess that this quest for excellence is the common thread that the creators have chosen to follow. A symbol of life, love and passion, the Sacred Heart is very present in the work of the creators, whether embroidered on handbags and clothing, or carved in iron.

In every difficult time, we need beauty and radiance. Why shy away from your pleasure?

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Florence Müller

Fashion historian and curator of the exhibition “From the heart to the hand”: Dolce & Gabbana

“The sacred and the profane meet and serve each other. They transport you into a world of contemplation, they are complementary. Religious art is close to secular art, theatricality is present in almost the entire exhibition. With its gilding and extravagant scrollwork, Baroque art is omnipresent in the exhibition and there is a form of generosity which is transmitted through the beauty of the decorations and creations. In every difficult time, we need beauty and radiance. Why shy away from your pleasure?”asks the commissioner carefully.

The “Golden Virgin“, another iconic piece from the duo, is inspired by the Madonnina placed on the highest spire of the Duomo of Milan, in Italy.”The entire city of Milan accepted this protective figure, whether the inhabitants were believers or not. Like the Good Mother for the people of Marseille“, specifies Florence Müller.

The exhibition reveals more than 200 unique creations spread over ten immersive rooms. The references and winks are numerous and invite visitors to (re)discover an emblematic scene from a cinema classic The Cheetahwhere Alain Delon and Claudia Cardinale indulge in a waltz full of charm and sensuality.

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Alain Delon in The Leopard – “From the heart to the hand” exhibition: Dolce & Gabbana

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©Claire Koç

On the third floor, models draped in black veils, adorned with dark velvet and transparent tulle, rosaries delicately tied between their fingers, wait, silent, at the entrance to the creators' workshop, meticulously reconstructed for the exhibition. They embody both devotion but also the timelessness that inhabits the collections of Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. Fashion, for these two Italians, is not only a matter of style, but an act of faith as much as a work of art.

Useful information:

The exhibition From the heart to the hand : Dolce & Gabbanacontinues until March 31, at the Grand Palais, 7 avenue Winston Churchill, 75008 Paris.

Full price €22 / reduced price: €19 / child price (5 to 15 years): €17

France Télévisions is a partner of this cultural event.