At 10 am on June 5, at 16 Rue de la Calade, in the southern French city of Arles, the truck finally arrived. It had left Grasse at dawn, but in this narrow and busy street in the historic center, delivering the precious cargo proved challenging. It was an important day. About 30 mannequins were set to join the future Fragonard Museum of Fashion and Costume. At first, they would be stored in the reserves on the third floor, alongside the library, restoration workshop and offices. Their accessories followed, packed in large cardboard boxes, with a single outfit sometimes requiring up to 20 boxes.

Pushed on carts, these enigmatic, white-shrouded figures drew questions from an amused passerby: "What is this? Ghosts?" With just a month to go before the opening, several tradespeople were putting the finishing touches on the site. The teams were more excited than ever. Orchestrating the operations, museum and textile collections director Clément Trouche showed no sign of stress, greeting everyone with a kind word.

An iconic perfumer from Grasse since 1926, Fragonard is now run by the fourth generation of a family of enthusiasts and collectors. In France, the company operates not only three production sites, 25 boutiques and a guesthouse (in Arles), but also several museums in Grasse and Paris, including one dedicated to the painter and glove maker Jean-Honoré Fragonard, as well as the Museum of Provençal Costume and Jewelry, both located in Grasse. The latter, inaugurated in 1997, was created to house the important collection built by Hélène Costa (who died in 2007), whose three daughters – Agnès, Françoise and Anne – now run the family business.

Lovingly collected

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