Impossible Wardrobes

Product Description

An exquisitely illustrated examination of the influence of fashion, as conceived and performed by Olivier Saillard and Tilda Swinton. Impossible Wardrobes documents three groundbreaking exhibitions poetically brought to life. Serving as part fashion object, part catalog, and part artist book, this work not only consists of the sole record of these critically acclaimed sold-out performances—that were by their very nature ephemeral artworks—but also serves as a unique survey of the Palais Galliera’s extraordinary collection of iconic clothing. This lavish three-book set presents the three performance pieces that spanned a period of three years. In The Impossible Wardrobe (2012), Swinton walks down a runway with a selection of historically and culturally significant garments from the past 200 years. In Eternity Dress (2013), a garment is tailor-made in front of a live audience. And in the third performance in the series, Cloakroom (2014), Swinton examines the special relationship between an item of clothing and its owner. A glorious ode to fashion, Impossible Wardrobes presents and elevates couture to a veritable art form.

Review

“[Saillard and Swinton are] an interesting pair. And, to prove it,
they set out to look at 20th century fashion in an entirely new way. They are not the first nor will they be the last, but their approach will probably remain the most intelligent for some time to come.
Impossible Wardrobes is the boxed three-volume
chronicle of their search for meaning, similarities and wearability of clothes in three shows in different Paris venues.”
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THE BUSINESS OF FASHION”An amazing three-book box set. Buy [
Impossible Wardrobes] for that daydreamy friend of yours who sees the art in fashion – and everywhere else they look.”
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SWEET via SnapChat”[
Impossible Wardrobes] is naturally a quirky affair. It applauds our relationship with clothes and considers couture an art form.”
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COUNTRY AND TOWNHOUSE MAGAZINE (from
10 of the Best New Coffee Table Fashion Books)

About the Author

Olivier Saillard is director of the Palais Galliera, the City of Paris’s Museum of Fashion. He is a renowned fashion historian and author.
 Tilda Swinton has worked as a performance artist and in films for the cinema over the past thirty years.