Opening July 6, Fragonard’s latest museum in Arles is the story of two dynasties united by friendship, a love for heirloom crafts and a knack for collecting.
On one side are the French beauty and lifestyle brand’s directors Anne Costa, Agnès Webster and Françoise Costa, who had already opened the Fragonard Provençal Costume and Jewelry Museum in the perfume epicenter of Grasse to display their mother’s expansive collection of traditional garments and adornments.
On the other there is costume and jewelry historian Odile Pascal, a lifelong collector of traditional Arlesian costumes, whose passion was shared with her mother Magali. Before the latter’s passing, the Costa siblings pledged to purchase the Pascal collection to preserve it.
As a home for this lifelong labor of love meant to encapsulate every facet of the history of Arlesian fashion, Fragonard chose the Hotel Bouchaud de Bussy, a mansion in the historic heart of the southern French city of Arles named after a prominent family who contributed a number of illustrious figures to the city.
Several years of renovation were needed to bring back to its former glory this 17th- and 18th-century building, which had been a maternity ward then a hospital in the second half of the 20th century. Paris-based Studio KO, formed by Karl Fournier and Olivier Marty, was entrusted with this project, which saw a meticulous restoration but also the addition of a striking contemporary staircase and a gilded brass door reminiscent of Provençal jewels.
For its inaugural exhibition, titled “Collections-Collection,” the museum will display the Costa and Pascal collections side-by-side in a chronological order that gives a comprehensive overview of Provençal fashion since the 18th century, thanks to some 10,000 items.
There will also be a video installation commissioned from French artist Charles Fréger and offering a glimpse at the dressing rituals of Arlesian women throughout the seasons.
The new museum is located only a stone’s throw from Maison Fragonard, a chic guest house offering six bedrooms in three apartments — each spanning one floor – that the brand opened in 2021.
Fragonard Musée de la Mode et du Costume
Opening July 6
16 Rue de la Calade, 13200 Arles, France