Christian Lacroix & the Levantine dress

Whether or not you like traditional dress, the pure graphic elements of this exhibition of 150 women's garments from Jordan, Palestine, Syria and the Sinai are remarkable for the sheer vibrancy of color and line.

Having one of the big guns of French couture, Christian Lacroix, as curator certainly doesn't hurt either!

Christian Lacroix has teamed up with the delightful Musee du Quai Branly (they host art exhibits and performances from around the world), working on all aspects of the show, and I've seen slideshows, articles and videos popping up all over the place for it.

From a Guardian interview with the designer:

The exhibition at the Musée du quai Branly consists of a striking ensemble of 150 gowns and accessories dating from the 13th century, each painstakingly embroidered in vibrant colours by women in Syria, Palestine and Jordan. The garments, some from the museum's own archive and some on loan from a private collection, have never been seen in public before.

"There is an opulence to this work," says Lacroix. "It's the idea of these anonymous women making their dresses, very simple, very rustic, and yet you see all the richness in the detail, all the colours like a beautiful flower.

"It's about the self-expression of individuality and I think that is so different from what we are seeing in fashion nowadays, which seems to be connected more and more with status symbols and logos."

I find it interesting that the museum is contextualizing this exhibit with the rise of somber, fundamentalist garments in the modern Middle East, as well as France's own issues with the burqa.It's quite a different tack than that from similar exhibitions (here I'm thinking of the Yves Saint-Laurent 'Une Passion Marocaine') -- but one that will surely garner it plenty of visitors.