Italian Haute Couture Exhibit Opens at Manetti Shrem Museum

The artistry and craftsmanship of Italian haute couture will be on display in The Gift of Fashion: From the Maria Manetti Shrem Haute Couture Collection, opening Oct. 14 at the Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art at the University of California, Davis.

Visitors to the free museum will have the rare opportunity for an up-close view of seven couture gowns by designers Roberto Capucci and Dolce & Gabbana, and pieces of jewelry designed by Dolce & Gabbana, Bulgari and Scavia, all on loan from the personal collection of the museum’s namesake, Maria Manetti Shrem.

The exhibition not only showcases the art of Italian design and illustrates the intersection of aesthetics and functionality. It also tells the story of a life at the forefront of beauty, fashion and art in San Francisco. 

Through her business Manetti-Farrow Incorporated, the Italian-born Manetti Shrem played a pivotal role in the internationalization of some of the world’s most iconic fashion brands, such as Gucci, Fendi and Mark Cross. 

One notable piece on display will be a custom Dolce & Gabbana gown with a sapphire peacock train that required more than 350,000 sequins and 2,700 hours of craftsmanship, worn by Manetti Shrem as the guest of honor of the San Francisco Opera Guild’s “An Evening on the Stage” gala in 2025. 

“I hope visitors leave the exhibition with a deeper appreciation for the beauty and craftsmanship of works handmade in Italy, and with the understanding that each piece is a unique work of art, created by hand and impossible to replicate,” said Manetti Shrem. “I also hope they leave inspired by the extraordinary creativity, passion and dedication that define the finest traditions of Italian design.”

The exhibition is organized by the Maria Manetti Shrem Institute for Sustainable Design, Fashion & Textiles, and guest curated by Professor Tim McNeil and graduate student Maev Dunning in the Department of Design at UC Davis. 

“An important part of working on this exhibition has been understanding Maria Manetti Shrem’s story and her connection to these gowns and pieces of jewelry,” said Dunning. “These aren’t just objects from her collection, they are all very personal pieces of fine art that she has worn and treasured in her life.”

Inspired by generosity 

The Maria Manetti Shrem Institute for Sustainable Design, Fashion & Textiles advances wearable and smart textile technologies and promotes sustainability across multiple facets of design. It opened in 2025 thanks to Manetti Shrem’s $20 million commitment — the largest gift to the College of Letters and Science and largest to the arts in university history — that launched the Maria Manetti Shrem Arts Renaissance at UC Davis. 

The historic gift strengthens UC Davis’ commitment to the arts, funding eight endowments for arts and design, supporting faculty excellence, advancing interdisciplinary collaboration, and expanding opportunities for students, artists and the broader community.

The Gift of Fashion: From the Maria Manetti Shrem Haute Couture Collection will be on view Oct. 14, 2026, to Jan. 30, 2027. 

About the Manetti Shrem Museum
The Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art at UC Davis is a contemporary museum for our time, committed to honoring the past and shaping the future while making art accessible and approachable for all. Home to groundbreaking art that is both global in perspective and rooted in UC Davis’ pioneering legacy, the museum builds on the university’s internationally recognized tradition of innovation across disciplines. Through exhibitions and interdisciplinary collaborations, it serves as a dynamic forum for the exchange of ideas.

Visitor Information
Jan Shrem and Maria Manetti Shrem Museum of Art
254 Old Davis Road, Davis, Calif.
Hours: 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Wednesday–Saturday
Admission is free for all.