“Les Années folles de Coco Chanel” From 19 June to 5 October at NMNM – Villa Paloma

Les Années Folles de Coco Chanel © Manuel Vitali - Direction de la Communication

In “Les Années folles de Coco Chanel” (“Coco Chanel and the Roaring Twenties”), running from 19 June to 5 October at Villa Paloma, the Nouveau Musée National de Monaco (NMNM) explores the prolific creativity of Gabrielle Chanel in the specific context of the French Riviera in the 1920s.

The exhibition, which is the brainchild of Célia Bernasconi, is based around three key themes: outdoor living and the rise of seaside resorts; the Ballets Russes and the influence of Slavic culture; and the invention of “Riviera style”.

Drawing on a selection of textile designs and iconic artworks from the decade, it pays tribute to Chanel’s resolutely visionary approach in inventing the “new woman”.

The exhibition features more than 200 exhibits and creates a unique dialogue between 30 of Gabrielle Chanel’s designs and accessories, and 40 works by modern artists, including Kees Van Dongen, Pablo Picasso, Marie Laurencin, Natalia Gontcharova, Sonia Delaunay, Jean Cocteau, Mikhail Larionov and Alexandra Exter. It also includes numerous photographs by Man Ray, Dora Kallmus, Edward Steichen and Roger Schall.

Continuing this productive dialogue between fashion and the visual arts, artist Chloé Royer (born in 1989) presents Of Limb and Other Things, a collection of 20 pieces, several of which were created especially for the exhibition, exploring various transformation processes of the female body.