The Palais Galliera in Paris will host the exhibition "A Wardrobe of One’s Own: Dissident Femininities in the 19th Century" from September 26, 2026 to February 14, 2027. Featuring over 350 works—including clothing, paintings, photographs, and fashion posters—the show explores how 19th-century women appropriated men’s wardrobes, from Amazonian costumes and trousers to suits, ties, and top hats, as a means of emancipation and identity reshaping. Iconic figures such as Marie-Antoinette, George Sand, Rosa Bonheur, and Natalie Clifford Barney are highlighted alongside anonymous subjects from amateur photographs.
This exhibition matters because it sheds light on a crucial yet often overlooked chapter of fashion history, revealing how sartorial choices challenged gender binaries and accompanied broader social struggles, including women’s roles in sport, cross-dressing, and minority identity expression. By presenting clothing as a tool for dissidence and redefining women’s place in society, the show offers a precise, embodied reading of 19th-century fashion that resonates with contemporary conversations about gender and identity.