Olivier Saillard returns with the seventh edition of Moda Povera, Wedding Dresses Always End Up Single, presented at the Archives Nationales in Paris. This time, the fashion historian reimagines secondhand wedding gowns, deconstructing and reassembling them into poetic new forms. The collection reflects themes of memory, loss, and reinvention, capturing the emotional weight of garments once tied to a singular moment. Some dresses, too fragile to wear, were transformed into fabric letters, visually echoing Saillard’s accompanying text, narrated by Rachida Brakni. The performance unfolded as Saillard revealed each piece from oversized envelopes, dressing model Axelle Doué in the reimagined silhouettes. With evocative phrases like “frayed femininity” and “stains of regret on the collar,” the project blurs the line between fashion and literature. Following its debut, a previous Moda Povera performance, based on Saillard’s late mother’s wardrobe, will be restaged this summer at the Grand Palais.
Don’t miss our interview with Olivier Saillard, where he explores the evolving dialogue between fashion and performance, the emotional power of clothing, and why he favors “clothes” over “fashion.”
