The exhibition immerses visitors in the world of medieval fashion through three themes: the evolution of the silhouette, the importance of accessories from headdresses to the refinement of footwear, and finally the social norms that governed appearance in medieval society. A final section is devoted to the making and upkeep of garments.
Around the exhibition:
From May to December 2026, many events on fashion and textiles in the Middle Ages are offered: a cycle of lectures, a medieval weekend in July, a mini-exhibition on tapestry in June and July in partnership with the IESA, etc.
Programme to follow at www.tourjeansanspeur.com
Programme ticketing: https://www.payasso.fr/tourjsp/programmation2026
Appearing___________________________________________________________
Until the 13th century, garments were worn loose, sometimes with lacing to accentuate the torso. At the dawn of the 14th century, a true revolution began.
Loose garments now give way to fitted outfits, following a single aesthetic: a slender, elongated body. Women's bodies were accentuated by wearing a cotte fitted at the chest and with a neckline, while the male body was highlighted by a fitted doublet and high hose. Moralists very early condemned this shameless fashion, comparing the male silhouette to that of a greyhound.
In the 15th century, the doublet, the main element of the men's wardrobe, rose to mid-buttock. This development required a readjustment of the hose, which eventually met, completed by the codpiece, which appeared at the same time!
As a kind of bra, women bound their bust or used "chest-bag gowns" when the breasts were sagging or too full.
Playing with clothing ________________________________________________
Courts were the privileged places of eccentricity. Reflecting them, aristocratic dress included many accessories and devices characteristic of the late Middle Ages: goldsmith's belts with bells, cutouts to decorate the collar of the chaperons, the hems of gowns or the cuffs of sleeves, precious stones, furs, feathers, etc.
Buttons or knobs and laces accentuated the slenderness of the silhouette, while openings edged with fur on the sides of houppelandes revealed the garment underneath. These slits also incidentally allowed objects hung from the belt to be retrieved. Headwear followed these eccentricities. Fashionable men played with the many ways of wearing their chaperon, while fashionable women wore increasingly airy headdresses, comparable to the sails of a ship!
Footwear, like clothing, became more refined, giving rise in the 15th century to the poulaine, and later to the bear's paw. To walk through muddy streets, one could use patins or "socques", a kind of overshoe with a thick sole fitted with a strap.
The habit makes the monk _________________________________________________
For moralists, clothing was a reflection of the soul. Religious and secular authorities therefore watched over the observance of social norms and limited excesses. From the 13th century onward, sumptuary laws were enacted requiring everyone to dress in a way that reflected their rank in society. In Italy, bonfires were set up in public squares to urge the faithful to burn their outrageous finery. Veils and headwear were forbidden to prostitutes. In Bergamo, Italy, a red chaperon with bells branded pimps! Non-Christian communities had to wear discriminatory signs: for example, Jews wore a yellow skullcap in Marseille, and Muslims wore a yellow fabric roundel in Spain.
Distinctive signs appeared among the aristocracy. Coats of arms, which had appeared on battlefields from the 12th century, were embroidered on clothing in the form of small escutcheons. These garments could also be personalised in the colours and arms of the prince. In the 14th century, devices, the personal emblems of the prince, spread and became true tools of communication.
Only disguises for the many festivals allowed, for a time, an upheaval of values, perfectly embodied by the fool, a professional entertainer in the service of kings and princes.
Exhibition curator:
Nadège Gauffre Fayolle, medieval historian
independent researcher, specialist in the vestimentary fact in the Middle Ages and member of the AFET (Association Française pour l'Étude du Textile)
With the loan of collections of clothing and accessories from the reenactment associations Mercurius and Artemis (Nicolas Baptiste and Soline Anthore Baptiste, holders of doctorates in the history of armour and in the history of clothing, respectively)