Inside Gala’s archive: Fall-Winter Collection

at the Púbol Castle and in the Village.

Gala-Salvador Dalí Foundation and La Roca Village unveil The Awakening of the Myth: Gala Dalí, a year-long exhibition programme exploring Gala’s enigmatic personality through the lens of her fashion collection. Co-curated by Bea Crespo, Coordinator of the Centre for Dalinian Studies, and Noelia Collado, Deputy Content Director at La Roca Village, with artistic direction by Montse Aguer, Director of the Dalí Museums, the exhibition unfolds across three fashion ‘seasons’. The third – titled ‘Fall-Winter Collection’ – features eight outfits worn by Gala and crafted by illustrious designers such as Gucci, Dior and Howard Greer.

The Awakening of the Myth: Gala Dalí, at Púbol Castle.

Two sentences penned by Breton in 1922 urged people to rebel against routine: Lâchez tout. Partez sur les routes – “Leave everything. Take to the roads”. Nomadism and change defined Gala’s whole conception of life (and of fashion), in that constant coming and going between Paris and Cadaqués, between New York and Italy.

In the age of the great ocean liners, going on board and disembarking were memorable moments. Gala and Dalí knew how to turn the gangways of those giants of the sea into a catwalk, a show that would ensure banner headlines. That first trip to New York, in November 1934, marked the beginning of the conquest of America. For decades, every winter, their suite at the St. Regis hotel became their home… and their display case. Beyond museums, their life revolved around happenings, performances and publicity. A strategy that Gala adapted to her media image (or public alter ego), with outfits from Arthur Falkenstein (the artistic circle’s favourite American label) or Howard Greer (couturier to Hollywood’s Golden Age, who designed the very young Gloria Vanderbilt’s wedding gown).

Photo credit: Robert Descharnes. Gala posing as model for Salvador Dali’s painting Battle in the Clouds, 1979.
Photo R. Descharnes / @ Descharnes & Descharnes sarl 2024.