Paris Haute Couture Week

Haute Couture Week has officially begun in Paris, and its symbolic opening was marked by the Bal d’Été, a glamorous charity ball held at the Museum of Decorative Arts. The event was artfully directed by Sofia Coppola, who noted, “I approached it the same way I would a party scene in a movie.” Her inspiration came from French aristocrat Jacqueline de Ribes, the Chanel archives, and a legendary costumed ball celebrating Marcel Proust’s centenary.

The ball not only launched Couture Week but also celebrated the upcoming centennial of the 1925 International Exhibition of Decorative Arts. The funds raised will go toward the preparation of the major exhibition, "1925–2025: One Hundred Years of Art Deco," set to open on October 22.