"Exoticism is a richness conducive to the blending of cultures and the mutual enrichment of diverse traditions."
"Exotismes" was the challenger exhibition that opened this Haussmann building on the Canebière in 1993, renovated by architect Jean Michel Wilmotte. For more than 20 years, the 3,000m² exhibition space would be home to the world's leading fashion and business event, making Marseille the second city for fashion after Paris.
This bold vision of decentralization has been encouraged by many regional and national personalities, including the French head of state, François Mitterrand. One of the objectives of Espace Mode Méditerranée's programming will be to present to the public a universal style inspired by or born in the Mediterranean. Exoticism is a richness that encourages the blending of cultures and the mutual enrichment of diverse traditions. Marseille is a melting pot. Tracing the exoticism of an extraordinary man, Yves Saint Laurent, the most plural of our couturiers, born in Oran, remains an enchantment. He said: "Above all, I love the rigor, simplicity and classical beauty inspired by antiquity. But my imagination, my very pronounced imaginative gifts, sometimes lead me towards the baroque and the bizarre. Catherine Ormen's selection of over 80 exceptional models exhibited on the Canebière was an ode to Africa, the Orient and Asia, while the Musée de la Vielle Charité paid tribute to the man's passion for the arts, theater, dance and photography.
