To celebrate the 40th anniversary of her signature Snap Cardigan, agnès b. has announced the forthcoming exhibition “… PHOTOGRAPHERS … ARTISTS AND THE SNAP CARDIGAN” that will open in London on October 12th 2023.
The exhibition will echo the first snap cardigan exhibition held at agnès b.’s Galerie du Jour in Paris as part of Mois de la Photo in 1986, where 140 photographers originally contributed to the exhibition. Each were asked to photograph the iconic snap cardigan in his or her own way. Acclaimed by the public and critics alike, the exhibition was then held at the Centre Pompidou in 1996.
As a designer, philanthropist, and art collector, agnès b. noted at the time, “A while ago, I designed a cardigan for myself. I wanted one that opened in front with lots of snaps that evoke a Renaissance garment, a child’s garment for grown-ups, or the other way round, and the snap cardigan was born. Since then, it has been worn by many people. I had the idea for the exhibition when I saw people making the garment their own, adapting it to their personal style. It occurred to me that photographers are never given the same subject, and that they would each have their own vision of the garment. Their response was enthusiastic, and the result is beautiful. I am extremely grateful.”
For the 2020 exhibition, which was shown in Paris at the end of 2019, agnès b. has given carte blanche to more than 70 photographers and artists from 14 different nationalities. Young emerging artists and established artists from urban and contemporary scenes offer their interpretation of this timeless garment, working with a singular specification of a 40 × 60 centimeter photograph whose main subject is the snap cardigan.
On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the snap cardigan, the book agnès b.: The Snap Cardigan, was published by Assouline and is now available in agnès b. and Assouline stores worldwide.
agnès b, PHOTOGRAPHERS … ARTISTS AND THE SNAP CARDIGAN, agnès b, Floral Street
La Fab. agnès b.
Designer, philanthropist, and art collector, agnès b. has promoted artistic creation in all its forms, surroundings, and solidarity, for many years. Her new space, La Fab., opened in Paris on January 31, 2020, aims to bring her many activities together under one roof. La Fab. will display artworks from the art collection amassed by agnès b. over forty years, which now consists of more than 5,000 works. It will be the new home of Galerie du Jour, founded by agnès b. in 1983, which will offer an eclectic and constantly evolving rotation of exhibitions. La Fab. will also house the bookstore Librairie du Jour, where copies of Point d’Ironie, the art newsletter published by agnès b., will be distributed.
And finally, La Fab. will spotlight social and humanitarian actions supported by agnès b.’s endowment fund, Fonds de dotation agnès b., including environmental activities, spearheaded by Tara Ocean Foundation. For more information, visit www.la-fab.com
About the agnès b. snap cardigan
agnès b. created the snap cardigan in 1979. 40 years during which she wrote, invented, rewrote, re-invented, this “item of children’s clothing for grown- ups, or vice versa,” as she likes to call it. 40 years of creation… always with great passion!
Imagined by agnès b., the snap cardigan was born from her desire to open the sweatshirts that she often wore, “it would be good if they could be opened!” And after several scissor cuts, the famous “snap” from the sound of the 13 press studs came to the world! Here begins the history of agnès b. snap cardigan.
An emblematic garment of the house of agnès b., the snap cardigan exists for women, men, children and babies… in all sizes, from babies to XXL, in different colors and materials as well as multiple shapes. agnès b. created it to be timeless… to fit all personalities and to be worn for a very long time.
Smooth cotton fleece, straight cut, rounded collar, two adjustable tabs in the back for the classic version, agnès b. does not cease to evolve over the years. She has designed more than 40 variations since 1979 and does not hesitate to transform it regularly… in leather, short sleeves, in bustier, slightly fitted… and gives it different brightness since it was made in 148 different colors! It is thus, as agnès b. wished, that for 40 years, the snap cardigan adapts to all tastes and is worn according to all desires. A timeless yet soft and structured, a unique garment with a unique history, with which each one writes his own story…
