With Courrèges TimePhotographer Peter Knapp revisits the creative energy of the 1960s by creating a dialogue between photography and fashion. His images, both bold and poetic, restore the revolutionary aesthetic envisioned by André Courrèges to its full modernity.
In Saint-Paul-de-Vence, the Maeght Foundation is dedicating a unique exhibition to Peter Knapp, a key figure in fashion photography, giving him free rein to explore his dialogue with André Courrèges. Entitled " Le Temps Courrèges" (The Courrèges Era), this presentation delves far beyond a simple iconic wardrobe: it captures the energy of an era when art, fashion, and architecture seemed to speak the same language—that of movement and freedom. This exhibition, part of the "Bicentennial of Photography" celebrations, immediately underscores the historical significance of the project.
When Courrèges unveiled his Spring/Summer 1965 collection, the shock was immediate. The press hailed it as a "Courrèges bombshell," so radical was the break with established codes. Miniskirts, dazzling white, geometric lines: the couturier redefined the female silhouette by aligning it with architectural principles. Peter Knapp didn't just document this modernity; he interpreted it. In the pages of Elle magazine in March 1965, he staged bodies suspended, silhouettes levitating, as if defying gravity. These now-iconic images form the heart of the exhibition, presented in four large prints complemented by other series, archival materials, and garments generously loaned by the House of Courrèges.
More than fashion itself, it is the gaze that speaks. Knapp does not photograph fashion as a static object, but as a living experience. His fragmented, almost kinetic compositions convey the optimism of a decade driven by the idea of progress. Courrèges's garments then become the vehicles of a lifestyle, a worldview where woman embodies a quiet conquest of space and time.
The exhibition is also rooted in the history of the Maeght Foundation itself, inaugurated in 1964 by André Malraux. Conceived as a meeting place for disciplines, it has welcomed artists, choreographers, and designers from its very beginnings in a spirit of rare exchange. Courrèges himself frequented the Foundation, captivated by its collections, while Paule Maeght, Marguerite and Aimé's daughter-in-law, was among his close friends. It was in 1978, during a photoshoot for a Courrèges brochure, that Peter Knapp discovered the Foundation, photographing models alongside sculptures by Alberto Giacometti or in front of Ellsworth Kelly's flat planes. This permeability between the arts is at the heart of the project: here, fashion is not viewed as separate from art, but rather becomes its natural extension.
Friendship plays a crucial role in this story. The bond between Knapp and Courrèges, as well as with the Maeght family—and in particular with Adrien Maeght, two years his senior—has fostered a fruitful dialogue spanning several decades. The photographer, who in 2021 curated the exhibition "Giacometti: A Family of Creators," bringing together the five artists of the family, embodies this exchange of perspectives and disciplines. His work testifies to a rare fidelity to a creative spirit founded on experimentation and curiosity.
Today, as the Courrèges fashion house experiences a revival under the leadership of Nicolas Di Felice and, since May 2026, Drew Henry as artistic director, this exhibition resonates with unexpected relevance. It serves as a reminder of how the brand's heritage rests on a vision deeply rooted in innovation, without ever abandoning its core principles.
Underlying the narrative, Le Temps Courrèges tells the story of an era when everything seemed possible. The 1960s appear here not as a source of nostalgia, but as a still-active source of inspiration. Through Peter Knapp's images, a certain idea of freedom re-emerges, vibrant and almost untouched.
Practical information
Maeght Foundation
623, chemin des Gardettes, 06570 Saint-Paul-de-Vence
From May 14 to November 8, 2026
Courrèges
40 rue François Ier, 75008 Paris
