The most stylish exhibitions in Paris

As London gears up to pay tribute to the late Tunisian haute-couturier with a forthcoming show at the Design Museum this May, his adopted hometown beats it to the punch with this sober but powerful display of more than 40 of his sculptural creations, including the famous dress-cape he made for Grace Jones.

This retrospective of fashion’s most secretive figure is the big ticket for spring. It’ll explore highlights from Margiela’s uncompromising, avant-garde career, from cloven shoes to human-sized doll clothes.

For all his provocation and subversion, Margiela’s fanatical following owes far more to his spectacular talent for cut and drape than mere shock value. This tribute explores the surprising relationship between his radical work for his own label and his austerely elegant creations for the Parisian luxury house.

Transformed after 18 months of renovations, Yves Saint Laurent’s hôtel particulier reopened last autumn as a temple to the couturier’s legacy. The museum’s inaugural collection has whittled down an extraordinary collection of thousands of garments to his most game-changing designs.