Since 2018,
Miren Arzalluz
(Bilbao, 1978) has been in charge of directing the
Paris Fashion Museum, the Palais Galliera,
the first non-French director. Under her leadership, highly successful international exhibitions have been held, such as those of
Gabrielle Chanel
and
Azzedine Alaïa.
Today she is focused on upcoming projects: a fashion photography retrospective with
Paolo Roversi
and another on the great British hat master,
Stephen Jones.
"Now we have something else in common, we have both won the
Felicidad Duce Award given by LCI Barcelona,"
jokes the Basque historian, who is in Barcelona to collect precisely this annual award that recognizes the professional career of relevant figures in the world. of design and fashion.
During her stay in Barcelona, Miren Arzalluz spoke with Yo Dona minutes before collecting the award, which other fashion figures such as
Teresa Helbig
and
Jean Paul Gaultier have already received.
Her appearance is as expected: sober, but elegant. She is dressed in rigorous black with
a structured Balenciaga jacket,
her characteristic platinum blonde hair gathered in a low ponytail and
Ferrari red lips,
matching
her nail polish,
in a darker tone. "I wear red lipstick for everything, even going to the gym or shopping. It's a weapon, or the strength I need or find in every situation.
I do it for myself."
Her voice is serious and
her arguments are decisive.
Image from the exhibition of 'Azzedine Alaïa, couturier and collector', at the Palais Galliera.Photo: GAUTIER DEBLONDE.
Look at Arzalluz, from politics to fashion
Miren Arzalluz has managed to carve out a brilliant career in the fashion 'newspaper archives'. The daughter of the former president of the Basque Nationalist Party,
Xabier Arzalluz,
graduated in
History from the University of Deusto,
specialized in Politics at the
London School of Economics
and, during her stay in England,
changed course:
she completed a postgraduate degree specializing in
History of Costume at the Courtauld Institute of Art
to dedicate himself to his true passion, the research, interpretation and
dissemination of fashion.
One wonders how this change in direction was taken at home, if they expected him to follow in his father's footsteps... "Well, yes and no. There are many prejudices. Since the 19th century,
fashion has been considered a feminine frivolity,
and we are still fighting against this perception. Before, men and women shared the same level of adornment. The problem is that today there persists an objectification of women so that they appear as adorned as possible as a reflection of their success. We are still influenced by these ideas and
we need to free ourselves from them,"
explains Arzalluz.
Do you think then that fashion is a political issue, sometimes relegated by politicians themselves to a superficial role? "Not just politicians. I myself still
have to explain why I studied fashion history
and why I dedicate myself to this field. We fought the fight for fashion to be recognized as a powerful cultural, economic and social phenomenon in all areas and every day. That is why I insist on
the need to build a fashion culture."
A close relationship with Balenciaga and current fashion
After working at the
Victoria & Albert Museum
and the
Royal Cerimonial Dress Collection in Kensington,
he took the position of head of collection and exhibitions at the
Cristóbal Balenciaga Museum in Guetaria,
a position he held for seven years. His admiration for the talented Basque designer went further, by publishing the book
'La forja del maestro'
(Nerea) that addresses his figure and his work in the history of fashion, being the reference publication. A knowledge that he has now also shared by working with the directors of the new Disney + series that reviews the life of Balenciaga.
What has been your involvement in the costumes of the series? It has been an incredible experience. As a historical advisor, my role was to provide all the information about Balenciaga's life that the directors of the series needed. I conveyed my knowledge and my interpretation of his career, as well as my vision of his personality, although it is important to keep in mind that it is just that, my point of view. I think that the final result reflects a work carried out with great sensitivity, rigor and respect, and the possible creative liberties that have been taken are very conscious. How have your most emblematic dresses been transferred to the big screen? Bina Daigeler is a great designer of wardrobe, and what we did was exchange experiences, share opinions and analyze the Balenciaga archive to analyze the construction, patterns and fabrics. We were all aware that it was not about making exact reproductions of the most emblematic pieces, since it would be economically unfeasible to replicate the master's haute couture of the 50s and 60s. However, it was essential to convey the spirit of his work through the costumes. How have you seen Alberto San Juan in the role of the teacher? The transformation is extraordinary. Unfortunately I have not been able to meet Balenciaga because he died a year before I was born, but I found it impressive to see how Alberto San Juan embodies a Cristóbal who is very similar to what I interpret him to be. Elio Berhanyer said that "The brands They never die, the designer dies." How do you see the Balenciaga brand led by Demna Gvasalia today? I will not get into the game of whether Balenciaga would agree with the current changes, since I am more understanding and avoid such harsh value judgments. I know Demna Gvasalia personally and I know that he has enormous respect for Cristóbal Balenciaga and recognizes his work, studies and analyzes it. Demna follows his own path and is a designer who connects with contemporary fashion and the clientele for which he works. Furthermore, we must consider that we are starting from very different realities. A haute couture Balenciaga today looks nothing like a model from the 1950s, so it is impossible for the house to respond in the same way to today's fashion challenges.
Palais Galliera is the Paris Fashion Museum, directed by Miren Arzalluz.Photo: PIERRE ANTOINE.
From Spain to France, a vision of fashion
Arzalluz says that, when she arrived almost seven years ago at the Palais Galliera in Paris, the legacy she inherited was very powerful and many of the fundamental decisions had already been made before she arrived.
"I have had the responsibility, but above all the honor, of being able to materialize them to take the museum to the next stage. Even so, it has not been easy. The works to expand the exhibition space that became complicated,
the social revolts such as the of the yellow vests,
the pandemic and its management by cultural institutions. We have experienced a complex situation, but now is when we
begin to reap the fruit
of some difficult years and we are happy with the work done," summarizes the commissioner.
What objectives have been met in these years? We have achieved everything we had set out to do, such as doubling the activity in the museum, presenting our collection, a history of fashion, and continuing to offer diverse programming that attracts a heterogeneous audience. Maybe that's what I'm most proud of. We are diversifying our interpretations of fashion through very different exhibitions that show it in all its complexity. This implies talking about fashion not only from its artistic or creative dimension, but also from its commercial, sociological, political or ideological aspect. And I think this is relevant. In terms of fashion, what differences do you observe on the street that distinguish France from Spain? Fashion is a reflection of the culture of each country. In France, no one questions whether fashion is art or not, whether it is an important subject or a frivolity. It is a fact that it is part of the country's cultural heritage and exerts great global influence. I believe that as we advance in understanding the importance of fashion, we will modify our conception of it and institutions will act accordingly. I'm not exactly politically correct, but I don't believe in single responsibility. Fashion culture is built from many areas and we must all contribute to its development. If fashion is a reflection of society, what analysis do you make of the first quarter of the 21st century? My vision is optimistic, but realistic. We live in a time of uncertainty. Global armed conflicts and episodes of violence, a historic ecological crisis and a global health emergency have marked the first decades of the 21st century, generating awareness about the need for more responsible, committed, diverse and representative fashion. These are the big questions that will mark the agenda of the sector in the coming years and the challenges that both creators and brand leaders must take on. In fact, we are already seeing the consequences on the catwalks. Fashion no longer focuses solely on the discourse of evasion, on offering an escape from reality, but on committing and trying to transform it. Miren Arzalluz never renounces a sober image with certain licenses. Freedom of expression or imposition? In my case, it is a combination of both. When you direct and represent a fashion institution, you must be aware and responsible for your image. It is not easy to negotiate between what you want to express or feel and the expectations of others. Personally, I have always felt comfortable with the sobriety of the color black accompanied by structured pieces, but I do not give up having my own eccentricities. I reserve red, for example, for details like nail polish and lipstick. In fact, the red on my lips is non-negotiable.