Maison Michel at le 19M: Métamorphoses, a Paris hat exhibition

We went to le 19M in Paris for a specific reason: Métamorphoses — Les chapeaux de Maison Michel, an exhibition devoted to the house’s hats. It was the destination we had planned, not an unexpected discovery.

Maison Michel: the hat as transformation

The exhibition’s title offers a way of looking at the subject. A hat is more than an accessory: it can change the character of a silhouette. That idea connects craftsmanship with imagination, bringing fashion into a wider conversation about visual culture.

Founded in Paris in 1936 by Auguste Michel, the house has built its identity around a specialised craft: making hats. The process often starts with a wooden block carved into shape, over which materials such as felt or straw are moulded before the milliner adds the finishing touches. Maison Michel joined CHANEL’s Métiers d’art in 1997 and has been based at le 19M since 2021. That history makes the gallery a fitting home for this exhibition. Read the house’s history.

Métamorphoses runs at la Galerie du 19M from 23 September to 13 December 2026, according to the exhibition material we photographed.

The setting: le 19M

Its name refers to Paris’s 19th arrondissement and the métiers d’art, or specialist crafts. CHANEL conceived le 19M as a shared home for different artisanal disciplines; the complex opened in 2021. Alongside its workshops, la Galerie du 19M hosts public exhibitions, offering a way to discover the people and skills behind fashion.

Designed by Rudy Ricciotti, the building has a distinctive façade of repeated vertical elements. Inside, large windows and exposed structural details give the exhibition spaces a character quite different from more conventional Paris galleries.

Opened in 2021, le 19M brings together twelve Maisons d’art and around 700 artisans and experts, according to an information panel we saw on site. The project forms part of CHANEL’s commitment to safeguarding and passing on specialist craft skills.

Beyond the exhibition

One display caught our attention: photographs suspended in front of the windows, showing hands at work, materials and intricate details. The panels featured names including Lesage, Goossens and Atelier Montex. A description of the latter mentioned embroidery using unexpected materials such as paper, wood and concrete.

Maison Michel’s hats brought us here. The setting offered a closer look at the people and techniques behind creative objects. It is a side of Paris worth exploring beyond the familiar landmarks.

Visitor information: official le 19M website.