Metamorphoses: Hats by Maison Michel

• Wednesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. – 6.30 p.m. (last entry at 6 p.m.)

• Free entry (booking required)

• Guided tours are available, click here

If there are no more online bookings available, you can collect a ticket on the day at the venue, subject to availability.

Founded by Auguste Michel in 1936, Maison Michel is known for the exceptional quality of its finishes, the precision of its silhouettes, and the rigour of its craftsmanship—all hallmarks of its identity. In 1968, Claudine and Pierre Debard took over the workshop with the aim of preserving its spirit while bringing it into line with the dynamism of contemporary couture. Recognising that modernity also stems from the mastery of craft, they revived an iconic tool of the trade: the Weismann machine, which was brought back into service in 1975. Rare and precious, it epitomises the house’s philosophy: combining innovation and tradition, lightness and strength, elegance and functionality.

Almost a century after its foundation, Maison Michel remains driven by the same commitment: to preserve the tradition of French hat-making while meeting the demands of the contemporary world. Since 2006, it has also developed and distributed its own designs under the brand of the same name.

In keeping with la Galerie du 19M’s mission to make the Métiers d’art accessible to as many people as possible, this free exhibition, open to all, offers an immersive experience of the wonderful world of Maison Michel.

Conceived as a poetic journey through forms and materials, the exhibition highlights the magic of craft gestures and the range of savoir-faire that brings the world of hat-making to life.

A living heritage, enriched day-by-day in the workshops of this Maison d’art house, where the passing on of rare techniques feeds into a constantly evolving creative process.

In dialogue with this heritage and the Maison Michel archives, previously unseen works and collaborations with young designers appear throughout the exhibition, offering a fresh perspective on the shapes, materials, and uses of hats, and thereby bearing witness to the vitality of the hat-making trades.

An exhibition tour organised around four main themes :

• Workshops allowing participants of all ages to work with the materials and tools of hat-making, alongside artists and designers who give new life to Maison Michel’s offcuts and scraps.

• A participatory workshop devised by designer Emma Bruschi, drawing inspiration from one of the house’s iconic materials: straw.

• An exceptional experience presented by Michel Gondry, in collaboration with the Usine de Films Amateurs (Home Movie Factory), during which the public is invited to collectively create a short film in just a few hours, with no prior experience required, in a setting inspired by an early twentieth-century hat shop and workshop.

• Three evenings exploring how the hat, as an item of clothing, enables us to construct, display, or subvert individual and social identities.