Collections

Hélène Costa grew up in Cannes, near the Forville market, the historic heart of the town. During the war, she associated with members of the Provençal Academy, dedicated to the safeguarding and maintenance of traditions. They sang and danced in costume, a way for these many young people, subject to the curfew, to connect. In the 1980s, the publication of a book on Provençal costume revived interest in the subject.

Traders and enthusiasts then began to gather textile pieces that had fallen into obscurity and were often overlooked. This revival went hand in hand with a thirst for knowledge, and the scarcity of specialised literature on the subject made this quest even more exhilarating. Demanding and concerned with the condition and quality of textile pieces, Hélène took pleasure in travelling to meet antique dealers and traders. Faced with this enthusiasm, her daughters then proposed the creation of a museum to protect her collections and share them with as many people as possible.

Born in 1925, Magali Pascal was made a Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres in 2010 in recognition of her work as a historian and researcher. She is the author of three reference works and, together with her daughter Odile, the tenth Queen of Arles, a historian of costume and jewellery, they own one of the most important collections of historical fashion.
Thanks to their research, mother and daughter have offered the city of Arles, Provence, and beyond its borders, the discovery of this garment since the 17th century.

Today, Françoise, Agnès, and Anne continue to keep their mother's memory alive by enriching the collection with new acquisitions each year. This collection is also greatly supplemented by a wide variety of iconography, sample books, and rare and antique jewellery, which complement the museum's scientific purpose. Odile Pascal, meanwhile, is heavily involved in the Arles museum's project as an active member of the scientific committee.

Bringing together two collections, those of Hélène Costa and Magalie Pascal, this magnificent book tells the story of the genesis of the museum project in a stunning Arles mansion, renovated by the renowned architectural firm Studio KO, as well as its remarkable collections of Provençal costumes, textiles and jewellery from the 18th to the 20th century. Through a selection of iconic works, it highlights the richness of Provençal clothing heritage, textile expertise and the history of adornment over the centuries.

An immersion into the world of fashion and Provençal traditions, at the heart of a museum where heritage and contemporary creation are in harmonious dialogue.

254 pages, €55