Exposition la Mode au Moyen Age

The exhibition La mode au Moyen Âge offers a journey into the world of medieval clothing, where tailors competed in ingenuity to highlight the silhouette and the owner's wealth. These were the beginnings of fashion phenomena as we know them today!

The exhibition plunges the visitor into the world of medieval fashion through three themes presenting the evolution of the silhouette, the importance of accessories, from headdresses to the refinement of shoes, and finally the social norms that govern sartorial appearance in medieval society. A final section is dedicated to the making and maintenance of clothes. Around the exhibition: From May to December 2026, numerous events related to fashion and textiles in the Middle Ages are offered: a series of conferences, a medieval weekend in July, a mini-exhibition on tapestry in June and July in partnership with IESA etc…. Programme to follow on www.tourjeansanspeur.com Ticketing for programming: https://www.payasso.fr/tourjsp/programmation2026

Paraître___________________________________________________________

If, until the 13th century, clothes were worn loose, sometimes with lacing to accentuate the torso, a real revolution began at the dawn of the 14th century. Loose garments now gave way to fitted outfits, obeying the same aesthetic: a slender and elongated body. Women's bodies were accentuated by wearing a cotte tightened at the torso and featuring a décolletage, while the male body was highlighted by a fitted pourpoint and high chausses. Moralists very early on castigated this brazen fashion, comparing the male silhouette to that of a greyhound. In the 15th century, the pourpoint, the main element of the male wardrobe, rose to mid-buttocks. This evolution required a readjustment of the chausses which eventually joined together, completed by the codpiece, appearing at the same time! As for bras, women bound their busts or used “breast pouch dresses” when breasts were sagging or too opulent.

Se jouer du vêtement ________________________________________________

The courts were the privileged places of exce