From the Pearl of Abu Dhabi, dating back some 8,000 years, to be one of the oldest pearls discovered in the world, and a testament to the existence of the profession of pearl and oyster hunting in the UAE since that time, to an innovative collection of fashion couture for the most famous design houses. Fashion and fashion in the world .. A long history of elegance and luxury followed by the exhibition «10,000 years of luxury», organized by the Louvre Abu Dhabi, in the season «changing societies».

The exhibition is the first of its kind in the Middle East, which highlights the history of luxury, displaying about 350 rare and exceptional pieces in fashion, jewelry, visual arts, furniture and design. The exhibition, which opens its doors to the public from tomorrow, and runs until February 18, 2020, not only highlights the manifestations of luxury and well-being in different historical ages around the world, but raises questions about the concept of well-being, and how it changed with time and different schools in the production of luxury.

Inexhaustible value

The exhibition, organized in collaboration with the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris and the Agence France-Muséums, and coordinated by the Director of the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris, Olivier Gabet, also seeks to present different approaches to the relationship of humanity to the concept of luxury across different ages and cultures, starting from the ancient civilizations and rituals that followed Presenting precious offerings, through the luxury of the 18th century, to the Industrial Revolution and its apparent impact on the total consumption of luxury goods. The "10,000 years of luxury" reviews the materials that have been considered a symbol of luxury through the ages, such as pearls, gold, silk, velvet and others, putting the visitor at the end of his tour to the question about the nature of luxury that is sought or needed by modern man, and soon answer comes assuring that contemporary luxury is In time, with the citation of Paul Moran in his novel The Urgent Man, “small welfare must be sacrificed for the great welfare of time.” It is from this fact that the exhibition highlights the work of the hourglass by Marc Neussen, which subtly and equivocally raises the question of time spent, and that it is truly inexhaustible, as man today runs behind a time that is scarcely as scarce as gold. No longer lies in gold; but in time.

Treasures

Among the 350 most prominent pieces in the exhibition, the world's oldest pearl, the treasure of Boscoriali, one of the largest collections of silverware preserved from the Roman era, as well as jewelry and dresses from major design houses such as: (Cartier, Van Cleef & Apparel, Chanel, Christian Dior, Elie Saab and Yves Saint Laurent).

The visitor begins his journey through the history of luxury from antiquity, where the pieces of luxury are often characterized by its rarity and the use of precious materials and skilled craftsmanship, for example, the Egyptian "fish collar", which dates back to about 1550 - 1069 BC, and «relief inscription depicting Tiberius and Caligula» It was skillfully made in Rome between 31 and 37 AD.

The visitor will also see a range of luxury items from that era, including precious home décor and several jewelry pieces.

In the next section, the visitor looks at the role played by trade and expanded cultural exchange in the development of the concept of welfare throughout history. Many of the exhibits are composed of different materials and are inspired by oriental and western styles, highlighting trade routes, such as the Silk Road and Roads. The exhibition includes a piece of velvet cloth from the 15th century in Italy embroidered with rare silk threads and gold threads with floral patterns coming from Ottoman decorations and a spoon of 16th century seashells in Germany of great value, especially that the seashells used are rare and originating from the coast of West Africa. .

The exhibition also allows the visitor to discover the new definition of the concept of luxury, in terms of production techniques that led to the prosperity of the luxury goods market in the 17th and 18th centuries in Paris. As a result of this prosperity, several famous French factories such as «Meissen» «« Sevre »and« Chantilly », which The exhibition includes many of the pieces it produced, including a "watch on a statue of a pair of shepherds" produced by the Meissen factory around 1740.

In the fashion world

The exhibition sheds light on modern luxury, and the impact of the Industrial Revolution on the emergence of the new wealthy class, an elite that was then given access to the pieces of luxury, as a result, department stores began to gain popularity, offering goods such as jewelry and high fashion and catering sets, and furniture For a wider segment of customers.

In addition, women's demand for emancipation influenced art. In the 1920s, the short black dress by Gabriel Chanel became a fashion icon for contemporary women.

The exhibition highlights the luxury in the fashion world in a wide context, through exceptional pieces seconded from major international fashion houses such as (Christian Dior, Givenchy, Chloe, Ezzedine Alia, Chiaparelli and Lavin), and many others.

Among the exhibits is an embroidered silk dress from the Ottoman Empire, which blends Turkish and Persian designs, seconded from the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris. Fashion in our time is not missing from the exhibition, which offers visitors a lot of pieces, including an organza evening dress by Carl Lagerfeld for Chanel, and `` equestrian supplies with rooster feathers '' from Hermes, as well as an embroidered dress from the Elie Saab Spring / Summer 2019 collection.

Pearl and necklace

Topping the exhibition “10,000 years of luxury”, «Pearl of Abu Dhabi», which was discovered, recently, on the island of Marwah in Abu Dhabi, and a necklace donated by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan According to a family member, she said: “This necklace was very attentive and I loved the jewelery because it was a gift from Sheikh Zayed. Its richness.

18

February, closing date

The show that opens

Its doors to the public

the day after tomorrow.