"a hit...its beauty deceptively guised in its simplicity."—The New York Times

Paris is the undisputed center of the fashion world, and "Fashion Show: Paris Collections 2006" demonstrates why fashion remains a fine art. Featuring runway garments from the spring and fall/winter collections of ten influential couturiers and designers, the exhibition explores the ideas and inspirations motivating Paris fashion today, and why, in an age of globalization and instantaneous communication, this venerable city remains the fashion capital.

The city has been a magnet for stylish men and women since the seventeenth century, but the French fashion industry has evolved considerably over the centuries—and never more than in the last few years. Recent assessments of the current state of Paris fashion have varied widely, with some pundits announcing its death, and others claiming that it is closer to fine art than ever before.

The designers highlighted in this exhibition—Azzedine Alaia, Hussein Chalayan, Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel, John Galliano for Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, Maison Martin Margiela, Olivier Theyskens for Rochas, Valentino, Viktor & Rolf, and Yohji Yamamoto—bring a unique and clear vision to their work, while still maintaining the high level of craftsmanship for which Paris is justly famous.