Pressmeddelande —
Beadwork, revolution and haute couture – a major new exhibition about Princess Maria Pavlovna
On 17 October, a new exhibition is set to open, telling the fascinating story of Maria Pavlovna – the grand duchess who went from the splendour of Imperial Russia and Swedish court life to being a successful career woman and partner to Coco Chanel in the world of Parisian haute couture. Fabulous fashion creations, exquisite embroidery, paintings and photographs come together to reveal a portrait of a woman who refused to allow herself to be defined by her title.
– The exhibition Maria Pavlovna – from Swedish court life to Coco Chanel depicts a dramatic shift in both society and fashion, from the Belle Époque to modernism, through a life story with strong links to Sörmland, says Susanna Strömquist, curator of the exhibition at Sörmland Museum.
Maria Pavlovna was born in 1890 and grew up as a grand duchess in the Russian Imperial family.
In 1908, she entered into an arranged marriage with Prince Wilhelm of Sweden, thereby becoming a Swedish princess and Duchess of Södermanland. In Sweden, she was faced with a court life of countless duties and obligations but also an active social life involving outdoor activities and lavish festivities.
Maria had a keen interest in needlework and handicrafts and completed an advanced arts and crafts course at Tekniska Skolan, now Konstfack. She quickly became a favourite with the public: she brought a breath of fresh air to the royal household, and was known for her cheerful antics and her exquisite wardrobe. At balls, she would turn heads with her accomplished dancing, her resplendent jewels and her evening gowns sparkling with beads and sequins. Maria and Wilhelm settled in the newly built palace of Oakhill on Djurgården, while their summers were spent at Stenhammar Palace, outside Flen.
The couple had a son, Lennart, but in 1914, Maria divorced Prince Wilhelm – the first royal divorce within the Bernadotte family. She returned to Russia, while Lennart remained in Sweden. When the Russian Revolution broke out, she was forced to flee the country and go into exile. She settled in Paris – the heart of fashion and culture at that time – and began to build a new life for herself.
– Maria Pavlovna was knocked off her golden pedestal but got back up, took fate into her own hands and created a new future for herself in the world of Parisian haute couture – going from couture client to producer, says Susanna.
In Paris, Maria Pavlovna founded an embroidery studio, Kitmir, specialising in exclusive embroidery. Her work made its public debut on 5 February 1922 at Chanel’s spring fashion show. Her embroidery was a hit and Kitmir became one of many specialist studios supplying handmade details to the leading fashion houses. Maria Pavlovna’s intricate beadwork and sequin embroidery contributed to the success of Chanel’s Russian-inspired collections, and she was awarded a gold medal at the 1925 International Exhibition in Paris.
Vogue magazine described her embroidery work as “a magnificent oriental palette enhanced by a very Parisian sense of elegance”.
The exhibition at Sörmland Museum
The exhibition Maria Pavlovna – from Swedish court life to Coco Chanel presents two defining eras in Maria Pavlovna’s life:
• Princess of Sweden, 1908–1914 – aristocratic luxury in its final heyday and life at the Swedish court.
• Entrepreneur in Paris, 1921–1928 – her embroidery studio Kitmir and 1920s modernism.
In addition, we take a look at the exclusive craftsmanship behind couture fashion – this work is almost forgotten now, but expert embroidery skills went into the sparkling creations for Europe’s elite.
Sörmland Museum’s collection and international loans
Sörmland Museum manages a unique collection of objects linked to Maria Pavlovna. Combining these with an extensive range of items on loan from Swedish and international institutions, the exhibition presents a cavalcade of unique fashion creations, portraits, photographs and personal items from the period.
Highlights include exclusive haute couture garments from Chanel, with Kitmir embroidery as a central feature, as well as Maria Pavlovna’s wedding dress from Mainau Castle.
The items on loan come from Mainau Castle in Germany, the Patrimoine de CHANEL in Paris, the Alexandre Vassiliev Foundation in Lithuania, the Royal Armoury in Stockholm, the Royal Collections in Stockholm and the Royal Collections in Oslo, among others.
New book on Maria Pavlovna
In connection with this exhibition, Sörmland Museum is publishing a book: Maria Pavlovna – from Swedish court life to Coco Chanel. The book is richly illustrated, with around 150 images, and includes new photographs of beaded ball gowns from the turn of the century and haute couture garments from 1920s Paris. Archival images from public and private collections provide an in-depth insight into the life and activities of Maria Pavlovna.
The author is Susanna Strömquist, fashion critic and curator of this exhibition. Designer: Dennis Tencic. Editor: Lena Landerberg. Project manager: Hanna Eliasson Hedman. 184 pages, thread sewn, soft cover.
Exhibition details
Title: Maria Pavlovna – from Swedish court life to Coco Chanel
Runs: 17 October 2026 to 25 April 2027
Location: Sörmland Museum, Nyköping
Curator: Susanna Strömquist
Project manager: Lena Landerberg
Exhibition designer: Albert France-Lanord Architects
Press material
Downloadable press images are available from the Sörmland Museum media archive. To download all images at once, go to the press release in the Sörmland Museum newsroom and click on “Ladda ner bilder för medieanvändning”. A separate document with captions and image information for all press images is included in the press material for the exhibition.
Press images may be used for editorial reporting on the exhibition. Images labelled © CHANEL must not be used on social media.
New images from the finalised exhibition will be added to the newsroom by 15 October.
For additional image requests, questions about press material or interview requests, please contact Malén Eneberg, malen.eneberg@regionsormland.se, +46 (0)72-083 87 71.
Press preview
Thursday 15 October 10.00–11.30 at Sörmland Museum.
Credits:
Susanna Strömquist, curator and author
Susanna Janfalk, County Museum Director
Lena Landerberg, project manager
Please register for the press preview no later than Monday 5 October by contacting Malén Eneberg, malen.eneberg@regionsormland.se, +46 (0)72-083 87 71.
Bus transport from Stockholm will also be available for the press, departing at 08:45. Limited number of seats. Please indicate when registering if you would like a seat on the bus.
Contacts
Malén Eneberg, Marketing Officer, malen.eneberg@regionsormland.se, +46 (0)72-083 87 71
Lena Landerberg, project manager, lenakristina.landerberg@regionsormland.se, +46 (0)76-724 91 85
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