Paris to Hollywood | Denver Art Museum

Paris to Hollywood: The Fashion and Influence of Véronique and Gregory Peck presents 100 ensembles—by 15 different couturiers and designers from around the world—from the wardrobe of Parisian writer, philanthropist, and fashion influencer Véronique Peck.

A selection of haute couture, fashion sketches, photographs, film clips, family snapshots, and documents will be exhibited publicly for the first time, providing a unique look into the style of one of Hollywood’s most beloved couples. Through more than four decades of material from the 1950s to the 1990s, the presentation provides an overview of how fashion changed as the roles of women in society evolved in the 20th century. In conjunction with the exhibition, Véronique and Gregory’s daughter, Cecilia Peck Voll, has gifted the Denver Art Museum 20 of her mother’s iconic looks for the museum’s collection.

Paris to Hollywood, organized by the Denver Art Museum and curated by Florence Müller, the DAM’s Avenir Foundation Curator of Textile Art and Fashion, and designed by architect Brian Dale and designer Meredith Dale, both co-founders of Sort Studio, will be on view from March 14, 2021, through June 20, 2021.

Divided into nine sections organized thematically and chronologically, the exhibition will display iconic milestones in the history of fashion such as the mini dress and pantsuits of André Courrèges, whose futurist style was celebrated by the fashion magazines in 1965 as the "Courrèges bomb." Véronique is praised for introducing Courrèges to the U.S. in the 1960s. A selection of dresses, demonstrating the meticulous artistic creativity that went into the creation of these garments, will reveal Véronique’s talent for choosing the best designer pieces, emblematic of each season and occasion. Her wardrobe—which includes many unique samples from the fashion shows of Yves Saint Laurent and Givenchy—is a testament to the fact that leading designers viewed her as a fashion ambassador and influencer of her time. The first presentation of its kind, Paris to Hollywood also will include one of Gregory Peck’s tuxedos, in addition to film clips and never-before-seen family photographs.

"When my parents entered a room, you couldn’t take your eyes off them," said Cecilia Peck. "They made style look effortless. I think their secret was that they were having fun. They were in love, and you could feel it. They inspired each other and made each other laugh. His eyes were always on her. Their style was a reflection of their love. Thanks to Christoph Heinrich and the Denver Art Museum, especially the extraordinary eye of Florence Müller, I am sharing my mother Veronique’s haute couture with the public for the first time. It’s been a thrilling journey of discovery for all of us."

An illustrated color catalog will accompany Paris to Hollywood, including three essays and an introduction by Müller, as well as interviews with Véronique Peck’s friends, Sharon Stone and Laura Dern. The catalog also will include biographies of each of the 15 couturiers presented in the exhibition, written by Jane Burke, senior curatorial assistant of textile art and fashion at the DAM. The catalog will feature images of the couture and designer pieces, along with a selection of archival photos, documents, sketches, and family photos. The catalog will be available for purchase online and at the DAM's Shop upon opening.

Veronique in a white dress and Gregory in a tuxedo arriving at a film premiere — Véronique, in a Givenchy evening gown, Haute Couture Fall-Winter 1965, and Gregory arrive at the film premiere of *Doctor Zhivago* at Loew’s Capitol, New York, 1965. Archival photo courtesy of the Véronique Peck Collection.

Veronique and Gregory Pec arriving to a movie premiere in formal attire — Véronique and Gregory at the premiere of director Nunnally Johnson’s film, The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit, 1956. Photo by Jack Albin/Archive Photos Collection/Getty Images.

Gray haute couture runway wedding dress with bodice modification — Yves Saint Laurent, Paris, *Dress*, Haute Couture Fall-Winter 1969–70, Look 104. Synthetic lamé by Abraham (textile house), Zurich, with beading by Maison Lesage (embroidery house), Paris, with silk lining. Prototype (original runway wedding dress with bodice modification).

Emilio Pucci for Pucci, Florence, *Ensemble: Jacket and Pants*, 1965. Silk chiffon printed with “Gioielli” motif and beads.

Soft cream colored dress with flower patterns — Thea Porter, London, *Dress and Scarf*, about 1975. Embroidered silk chiffon with sequins and synthetic lining.

Black silk and beaded embroidered dress — Yves Saint Laurent, Paris, *Dress*, Haute Couture SpringSummer 1967, Look 62. Synthetic piqué with beading by Lanel (embroidery house), Paris, and silk lining. Prototype (original runway piece).

Couture dress with rainbow-colored ruffles — Guy Laroche, Paris, *Dress*, Haute Couture about 1985. Synthetic taffeta and nylon net. Véronique Peck Collection at the Denver Art Museum: Gift of Cecilia Peck Voll.

Side view of a brown couture dress with a belt — Cristóbal Balenciaga for Balenciaga, Paris. *Dress with Belt*, Haute Couture about 1960, Silk gazar.

Red silk blouse and skirt — Yves Saint Laurent, Paris, *Ensemble: Blouse and Skirt*, Haute Couture FallWinter 1976–77, Look 77. Blouse and skirt in silk lamé by Bianchini-Férier (textile house), Lyon, France; cotton velvet belt with applied rhinestones and metallic trim. Prototype (original runway piece).

Dark blue button-up coat dress — Pierre Cardin, Paris. Coatdress, Haute Couture 1951, Cotton.

Close-up look at the intricate beading along a dress's neckline — Yves Saint Laurent, Paris, *Ensemble: Tunic and Pants* (detail), Haute Couture Fall-Winter 1969, Look 34. Synthetic lamé by Abraham (textile house), Paris, with beading by Pierre Mesrine (embroidery house), Paris. Prototype (original runway piece).

Silk and synthetic net dress with rhinestones, beads, and sequins — Valentino Garavani for Valentino, Rome. *Ensemble: Dress and Overblouse*, about 1968, Silk and synthetic net with rhinestones, beads, and sequins. Véronique Peck Collection at the Denver Art Museum: Gift of Cecilia Peck Voll.

Back view of formal black dress — Hubert de Givenchy for Givenchy, Paris. *Dress*, Haute Couture Fall-Winter 1959, Silk

Portrait of Véronique Peck for Vogue, 1967. Photo by Bert Stern/Condé Nast Collection/Getty Images.

Gregory and Véronique Peck at a formal dinner — Gregory and Véronique attend an event in Hollywood, January 1967. Bettman Collection/ Contributor/via Getty Images.

Gregory and Véronique in a large crowd of a movie premiere — Gregory and Véronique at the premiere of the film, *To Kill a Mockingbird*, at the Cannes Film Festival, 1963. Photo by Daniel Fallot/INA Collection/Getty Images.

Colored-in drawing of fabric swatch of a dress — Yves Saint Laurent, *sketch and fabric swatch of a dress*, Haute Couture Spring-Summer 1969, Look 80.

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Paris to Hollywood: The Fashion and Influence of Véronique and Gregory Peck is organized by the Denver Art Museum and presented by Joy Dinsdale. Additional support is provided by Bridget and John Grier, the generous donors to the Annual Fund Leadership Campaign, and the residents who support the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD). Promotional support is provided by 5280 Magazine and CBS4.

The Denver Art Museum is grateful for the generous funding of the textile art and fashion department by the Avenir Foundation and Nancy Lake Benson.