Now Open: Capturing the Catwalk

On Wednesday, May 23, the FIDM Museum welcomed photographer Michel Arnaud, along with his family, friends, and colleagues, to celebrate the opening of Capturing the Catwalk: Runway Photography from the Michel Arnaud Archive. The exhibition is the first to showcase his work spanning over two decades in the fashion industry; it highlights his contributions to the field (including advances in camera technology), and explores the ever-changing world of the runway – from fashion capitals and editorial visions to haute couture and supermodels. The photographs are shown alongside dress, accessories, and special collection objects from the FIDM Museum Permanent Collection.

The project began in 2000 when Arnaud generously donated his personal collection of over 180,000 slides – dating from the 1970s to the 1990s – to the FIDM Museum. The task of scanning every slide began; with the help of several dedicated volunteers and interns, our FIDM Museum Registrar and Curator of this exhibition, Meghan Hansen, was able to match the photos with our collection objects. After interviews with Arnaud and extensive research, the exhibition took shape. Capturing the Catwalk uses the rich resource of the photography archive to narrate the history and development of the runway, next to the garments that graced the stage.

The exhibition is free and open to the public from May 24 to July 7 (closed on July 4). In the coming weeks, we’ll share more from our conversations with Arnaud and take you further inside the exhibition. But now, it’s time for you to join us at the opening party – lights, camera runway!

Entering the exhibition with The Supers