Since the XVIIIᵉ century, the singular costume traditionally associated with the figure of the bullfighter has inflamed passions. It catches the eye and arouses the interest of those who cross it.
Inspired by the clothing of the Bourbon court, it bears witness to a strong identity, infatuated with diverse influences. Between aristocratic customs and practices, the costumes evolved thanks to the influence of the aesthetics of bullfighters from the common people.
It was in the XIXᵉ century, and particularly through Georges Bizet's opera Carmen, with its Escamillo character, that the figure of the bullfighter was transformed into a toreador.
On the sand as on the stage, light emanates from every movement, giving the costume motifs a souffle of life.
Discover in this "exhibition dossier" unique pieces so beloved by the Spanish painter Francisco de Goya, from the private collection of Alberto Perales in Madrid but also from the archives of the Christian Lacroix fashion house dating from the years 1987 and 1989. Like Picasso or Cocteau, the Arles-based couturier was fascinated by the brightly-colored, gold-embroidered costumes he saw in the amphitheater twice a year, and which were to become a recurring element of his style.
Bullfighters and toreadors also inspired other designers, such as Yves Saint-Laurent who, in 1977 and 1979, succumbed to the charms of this proud character and interpreted the habit of light in his own way. He gave the modern woman the power attributed to this noble and popular figure, symbolizing a sophisticated and sensual androgynous archetype while defying the gender norms dictated by Western society.
Painters, filmmakers, photographers, directors and, more recently, instagrammers fix, beyond prejudice, these prim male bodies, in silk stockings and metallic embroidery enhanced with cut stones and sequins, the last vestiges of a fantasized baroque XVIIIᵉ century.
It was in the XIXᵉ century, and particularly through Georges Bizet's opera Carmen, with its Escamillo character, that the figure of the bullfighter was transformed into a toreador.
On the sand as on the stage, light emanates from every movement, giving the costume motifs a souffle of life.
Discover in this "exhibition dossier" unique pieces so beloved by the Spanish painter Francisco de Goya, from the private collection of Alberto Perales in Madrid but also from the archives of the Christian Lacroix fashion house dating from the years 1987 and 1989. Like Picasso or Cocteau, the Arles-based couturier was fascinated by the brightly-colored, gold-embroidered costumes he saw in the amphitheater twice a year, and which were to become a recurring element of his style.
Bullfighters and toreadors also inspired other designers, such as Yves Saint-Laurent who, in 1977 and 1979, succumbed to the charms of this proud character and interpreted the habit of light in his own way. He gave the modern woman the power attributed to this noble and popular figure, symbolizing a sophisticated and sensual androgynous archetype while defying the gender norms dictated by Western society.
Painters, filmmakers, photographers, directors and, more recently, instagrammers fix, beyond prejudice, these prim male bodies, in silk stockings and metallic embroidery enhanced with cut stones and sequins, the last vestiges of a fantasized baroque XVIIIᵉ century.
