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From May 15 to October 11, 2026, the Museum of Decorative Arts will present the work of French fashion designer Madame Grès (1903–1993), one of the most important pioneers of 20th-century haute couture, for the first time in the German-speaking world. The exhibition focuses on the museum’s 25-piece Grès collection, one of the largest collections outside Paris, complemented by designs inspired by it from students. In collaboration with the School of Culture and Design at the Berlin University of Applied Sciences, the presentation opens up diverse perspectives on the work of this extraordinary couturière and her lasting influence on fashion history.
Germaine Émilie Krebs began her career in the 1930s when, now known as Mademoiselle Alix, she founded the fashion house “Alix Barton” together with Julie Barton. One of the most significant objects in the collection of the Museum of Decorative Arts dates from this period: a glittering evening blouse made of mesh fabric with faceted gemstones. After 1937, she called herself Alix Grès, but she ultimately went down in fashion history as “Madame Grès.”
She became famous for her floor-length pleated dresses, for which Grès, who—according to rumor—actually wanted to become a sculptor, drew inspiration from ancient sculptures. The enduring relevance of Madame Grès, who designed dresses for Grace Kelly, Greta Garbo, and Marlene Dietrich, among others, is evident in the timeless elegance of these models inspired by …
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Image above: Vanessa Hoffmann, Two-tone knit dress, merino wool, summer semester 2024. Photo: Laura Wolf / Ivo Hänisch
