Fragonard Exhibition Unfolds Three Centuries of Fashion

Fragonard’s latest project brings three centuries of Arlésienne fashion into public view, offering rare access to garments once kept behind closed doors.

Fragonard “Collections–Collection” Exhibition | Source: Fragonard
Fragonard “Collections–Collection” Exhibition | Source: Fragonard

Arles is in countdown mode. On July 6 Fragonard will open the doors of its Fashion & Costume Museum in the freshly restored Hôtel Bouchaud de Bussy, presenting three centuries of local style through around 10 000 garments and accessories.

The 17th- and 18th-century mansion has had many lives, including a stint as a hospital. Paris studio KO stripped it back to limestone bones, then added a sculptural staircase and a brass-sheened door that nods to Provençal jewelry.

Fragonard “Collections–Collection” Exhibition | Source: Fragonard
Fragonard “Collections–Collection” Exhibition | Source: Fragonard
Fragonard “Collections–Collection” Exhibition | Source: Fragonard
Fragonard “Collections–Collection” Exhibition | Source: Fragonard
Fragonard “Collections–Collection” Exhibition | Source: Fragonard
Fragonard “Collections–Collection” Exhibition | Source: Fragonard

Inside, two dynasties meet: the Costa sisters (Anne, Agnès, and Françoise), who run the fragrance house, and costume historian Odile Pascal, heir to her mother Magali’s renowned Arlésienne wardrobe. The Costas pledged to acquire the Pascal trove, ensuring that both collections remain in their native landscape.


“Collections-Collection,” the opening show, lines up Costa and Pascal pieces chronologically, charting silhouettes from the 18th century to the modern day. Photographer Charles Fréger contributes a film on the meticulous dressing rituals of Arlesian women, adding moving image to fabric history.

Fragonard “Collections–Collection” Exhibition | Source: Fragonard
Fragonard “Collections–Collection” Exhibition | Source: Fragonard
Fragonard “Collections–Collection” Exhibition | Source: Fragonard
Fragonard “Collections–Collection” Exhibition | Source: Fragonard
Fragonard “Collections–Collection” Exhibition | Source: Fragonard
Fragonard “Collections–Collection” Exhibition | Source: Fragonard

The museum caps a cultural boom in the city, joining the Luma campus and the Rencontres d’Arles photography festival while sitting a short walk from Maison Fragonard, the brand’s six-room guest house.

Plan your visit: the museum is at 16 rue de la Calade. Preview visits on July 4 and 5 are bookable online, and regular hours run daily from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Once the doors open on July 6, “Collections-Collection” will stay up until January 5 2026.