Elegance in Exile: Between Fashion and Costume, the Diaghilev Era

From the wonderful form of art that it is, fashion represents man "in his time" and the history of fashion therefore adds significance to the story of humanity revealing ethnic origins, the desire and need for beauty, influences and international relationships.

The exhibition "Elegance in Exile" aims to tell the story of the cultural atmosphere and ambience of the Russian intelligentsia and the international prestige of Diaghilev's famous Ballets Russes (1909-1929), the birth of which was celebrated at its centenary in 2009. More than two hundred works are presented in the evocative reception rooms of the Palazzo Mocenigo Museum in Venice. From costumes created for the Ballets Russes by artists Leon Bakst, Natalia Goncarova, and Andre Derain, to apparel created by emigre Russian nobles who fled to Europe in the aftermath of the Revolution, there are many other garments, accessories, images and documentary materials from the collections of internationally renowned fashion historian and collector Alexandre Vassiliev, as well a selection of stage costumes and artworks by famous artists, and from the collection of celebrated dancer and choreographer Toni Candeloro.

Thanks to the great contribution by Alexandre Vassiliev and Toni Candeloro, this magnificent exhibition seeks to shed light on some new aspects of the Russian Revolution, highlighting that particular historical moment through the "lens" of fashion, and gathering rare and important examples that express just how important and influential the "Russian style" was throughout the world.

Elegance in Exile

Between Fashion and Costume, the Diaghilev Era