THE country’s leading art critic has heaped praise on one of the region’s museums for hosting the “best fashion exhibition I have ever seen”.

View more pictures from the exhibition

Waldemar Januszczak, two-time Critic of the Year and Sunday Times art critic, has praised The Bowes Museum, in Barnard Castle, for its presentation of the Yves Saint Laurent: Style is Eternal exhibition, in an article on Sunday (August 23).

Mr Januszczak shared his surprise that the first major UK exhibition of the late French fashion designer was held in the “sleepy market town” just a 20 minute drive from Darlington station but on seeing the French chateau-style building he said it was “the perfect setting for a celebration of Yves Saint Laurent”.

Housing 50 garments representing different eras of the designer’s career, the museum delighted fashionistas when it opened to the public on July 11 after being picked by the Fondation Pierre Bergé, which is committed to the promotion of Yves Saint Laurent work internationally.

Mr Januszczak praised the way the museum displays some of his most famous garments such as the Russian Collection, the Mondrian Dresses and the Tuxedo as well as the clever way the show unfolds “across the lofty spaces”.

He said: “There are many reasons why this exhibition is as good as it is, but the most obvious is that it has been brilliantly curated to unfold in exactly the right direction. Everything works.”

Responding to the review, the museum’s curator of fashion and textiles, Joanna Hashagen said: “I was delighted to be able to show Waldemar Januszczak around the exhibition. It was such great fun because he was so full of enthusiasm and he viewed the exhibits as works of art, which indeed they are.

“He told me that he really liked the show but I was bowled over by his astute and engaging review in the Sunday Times.

“It has been an absolute privilege to plan and co-curate this exhibition with the Fondation Pierre Bergé -Yves Saint Laurent and this coverage is a great compliment to us both.

“Indeed for me, a fashion curator, it is the greatest compliment to be told by an art historian whom I really admire, that he thinks this show is 'the best fashion exhibition I have ever seen' it really could not get better.”

The exhibition, which is expected to be a sell-out, will run until Sunday, October 25.

To buy tickets online, visit ticketmaster.co.uk or call 0844-8440444.