How this ongoing exhibition unravels Gala Dalí’s lasting impact on art and fashion

As the story goes, Gala Dalí has always lived in the shadows. The unwritten legend speaks of an untamed, elusive, and disruptive woman ahead of her time. Simultaneously a muse, model, artist, businesswoman, writer, fashion icon, and wife, first of Paul Éluard, then of Salvador Dalí—the invisible luminary behind the genius. However, all things considered, she was highly misunderstood. With her mere existence reduced to canvas and paper, she was eternally relegated to a cliché by the misogynistic discourse of a society that seemed reluctant to recognise her influence. One hundred thirty years later, it’s time to bring Gala’s real identity into focus through a novel discourse stitched together through the fabric of fashion beyond stereotypes.

Foundation Gala-Salvador Dalí (1983) and La Roca Village, a part of The Bicester Collection, have come together to unveil the latest chapter in The Awakening of the Myth: Gala Dalí, a year-long exhibition that unravels the enigmatic personality’s enduring influence on fashion, art, culture, and society. Open to the public since March 2024, the showcase takes place in three fashion seasons: the first titled SpringSummer Collection, followed by Haute Couture in June, and Autumn-Winter Collection in October. Blurring the past and present, the journey begins at the Castle of Púbol (1969)—home to Gala’s fashion collection—which brings together 24 key fashion pieces from her personal archive, including haute couture crafted by illustrious designers like Christian Dior, Gala Dalí Elsa Schiaparelli, and Jean Dessès, to outfit from Givenchy, Oleg Cassini, Jeanne Lanvin, Cristobal Balenciaga, and more. The showcased dresses reflect her unique and unfettered personality that, above all else, remained true to itself. All notable pieces throughout the exhibit have been meticulously restored by textile specialists and the conservator-restorer of the Fundació Gala-Salvador Dalí. The stretch between the Dalínian triangle and La Roca Village has been transformed into an open-air canvas where contemporary artists like photographer Jordi Bernadó bring to life the hidden genius of Gala in a large art installation, while the great façades of illustrator Carla Fuentes reimagine the muse’s undying legacy. The Village also features the House of Gala pop-up boutique, an immersive space where guests can purchase tickets to the three Dalinian museums and shop from a curated selection of books and textiles at discounted rates.

The joint alliance reinforces the Bicester Collection’s commitment to fostering a deeper appreciation for creativity and innovation—drawing global visitors to both destinations to explore the limitless possibilities of artistic expression. “The collaboration with La Roca Village involves moving art beyond the walls of the museum, offering new perspectives to bring it closer to a wider and more diverse public, and thus making it more accessible. Moreover, it complements a strategic destination for Catalonia that embraces more ambitious and far-reaching objectives, such as those of the Fundació Gala-Salvador Dalí,” shares Montse Aguer, director of the Dalí Museums.

More than just a muse, Gala’s image transcends labels. Fashion becomes her most legitimate creative language, as it is she who decides what to wear, when, and with what intention. The unheard visionary and femme dandy of avant-garde Paris—was not vain. In fact, she was quite the opposite. The only non-conventional woman around men—free of constraints, in a hierarchical and exclusionary world of artists and painters, that demanded and occupied her rightful place amongst the greats. “I want to go down in history as a legend,” stated Gala Dalí, Garbo magazine (1964). Well, she might have finally won the battle.

Lead image: A painting of Gala Dalí by Carla Fuentes on the façade of the venue; Courtesy: the brand.

Also read: Three queer-owned homegrown labels that have changed the face of fashion

Also read: Michael Kors reveals the secrets behind his everlasting design philosophy