Couture in Paris

19th – 21st February

AHA prides itself in making extraordinary opportunities for small groups of 10 or fewer. 

In response to the fabulous fashion exhibitions currently on show in Paris, we have decided to offer an escape from the winter blues of the UK in favour of the sophistication and glamour of Paris.  We will see Dolce and Gabbana at the Grand Palais and Couture at the Louvre and Dior.

We have three great exhibitions in our sights, one at the Louvre, one at the Grand Palais and the iconic Dior Museum. We will also visit the impressive Rodin Museum.  Paris is always a thrill with its elegant boulevards, enticing shops and delicious cafes. This will be an extraordinary opportunity to see couture in amazing settings and we are very lucky to have Olivia Pomp with us. Olivia is an internationally renowned stylist, couturier and costumier – with over 35 years’ experience spanning the breadth and depth of the fashion and dance worlds.  Working on projects as diverse as Gucci ad campaigns to the costumes for The Royal Ballet’s performance at the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, Olivia will be able to give us an understanding of the world of high fashion. Though it is unlikely Olivia will be able to speak to all of us at once in the gallery space, she will explain the context and history of what we see before we enter and over meals.

We will stay in St Germain du Près in the charming Hotel Saint Père.

Itinerary

Wednesday 19th February

We will take the 8.01am train to arrive in Paris in good time to leave our bags at the hotel and head out for a delicious lunch and a busy afternoon. Just a 10 minute walk from our hotel is Les Deux Magots, one of the more famous Brasserie in Paris.  Since 1884, Les Deux Magots has represented the quintessential Paris café scene.  Cultural giants like Picasso, Hemingway, James Baldwin and Jean-Paul Sartre passed the time of day here, watching the world go by and sharing ideas.

The exhibition – After its triumph in Milan, it’s is Paris’s turn to host the flamboyant world of Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana. Here, each creation shows the soul of the Italian fashion house, where the emotion of inspiration meets the expertise of “fatto a mano” – the handmade.

A lovely walk through the Tuileries Gardens will take us by the newly reopened Notre Dame which we will look at from the outside and on to our hotel in St Germain du Pres. For supper we will eat nearby the hotel in a restaurant specialising in souffle.

Thursday 20th February

We will start the day visiting the Louvre to see Louvre Couture. This unusual exhibition illuminates the close historical dialogue that continues to take place between the world of fashion and the department’s greatest masterpieces, from Byzantium to the Second Empire. Each garment and accessory are on special loan from the most iconic fashion houses, both long-standing and more contemporary, Parisienne and International.

After a Brasserie lunch we will visit the Dior Museum.  The design of the space is entrancing as you wind through the history of Dior’s fashion house and of course it sits next to Dior’s flagship store. There should be time to indulge in a spot of shopping or sit and admire the elegant French pass by from a streetside café.  Supper in a local restaurant

Friday 21st February

Our last morning will be spent visiting the beautiful Rodin Museum which sits in its own very pretty garden.

After an early lunch nearby there should be time to visit the iconic store Le Bon Marché which is a Parisienne institution and a beautiful building.  We will then head back to collect our bags at 16.30 and travel to the Gare du Nord for our train home which leaves at 18.12.

 

Further Details

Tutors – The trip will be taken by Olivia Pomp and Cressida Ross.  Cressida has taken many AHA groups to Paris and Olivia Pomp is an internationally renowned stylist, couturier and costumier.

Hotel – We will stay at the Hotel Saint Perè, a lovely hotel in the heart of the city which has been restored with a contemporary interior.

Train – We do not book the train thus allowing you to travel with flexabilty.  However, we recommend buying the following train with Eurostar:

19th February             London St Pancras Int’l to Paris Gare du Nord                   08:01 – 11:23

21st February              Paris Gare du Nord to London St Pancras Int’l                   18:12 – 19:39

If you would like to travel out the day before to avoid the early start, do let us know and we will check availability in our hotel for you.

Transport – Private transport from the station to our hotel.  While in Paris we will walk or use the Metro.

Ability – There is quite a lot of walking on this trip, as well as slopes and uneven cobbles.  As is the case for all our courses, there is a lot of standing while we discuss the works we are looking at.

Lunches and Dinners – Lunches are a set menu of two courses to include drinks.  Dinner is by no means compulsory, but we book a table for the group each night at different restaurants and divide the bill equally between everyone.  Sometimes these may also need to be a set menu but we try our best to avoid this.  We will adjust the bill for those not drinking alcohol.

CostThe fees are £1,750 which includes accommodation, breakfast, three lunches, transfers in Paris for the recommended train, transport when connected with teaching, entrance fees and booking, tuition. Not included are the trains, all suppers, travel insurance.  The group will not exceed 10.

The single occupancy supplement:

Single one available £130

Cosy Room for single use, three available £185

Double for single use £260

To registerPlease contact [email protected] before registering for this trip.  Our deadline for purchasing exhibition tickets has now passed and so we need to check availability before promising a place.

If you have any queries please email charlie@arthistoryabroad or call 01379 871800 (302

NB you must buy your own train tickets

Registration Form

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