Christian Dior the brand was founded in 1946. Monsieur Dior’s iconic Bar Suit of 1947 (the opening piece of the exhibition) would become the ‘New Look’ of post-war fashion. Soft light, cinematic music and the signature Dior silhouettes make for an exhibition of heightened emotion within the beautiful replica of 30 Avenue Montaigne. Visitors of all ages are in attendance, some gaze longingly at the gowns—they remember seeing them in magazines of the fifties as little girls. Feminine yet strong, Dior credits his work as an architect to his dedication to the female body. The exhibition is made up of 11 different spaces, and each one tells the tale of a couturier and his vision. Vogue gives you a tour.
The Dior line
Image: Adrien Dirand
A room of just 10 looks shows his play on structure, proportion and construction, alongside elaborate workmanship to ‘express an attitude’. The power that Dior gave women through the way he dressed them remains undeniable. Dior was also a master collaborator, dreaming of a couture fragrance even before he’d opened his house. His willingness to collaborate and give way to international licensing deals can be attributed to the fast growth and success of the brand.
Christian Dior died suddenly on October 24, 1957, just 10 years after having such a profound impact on the world of fashion. What appears an abrupt beginning for an exhibition, instead proves the powerful legacy Dior created in only one decade. He worked on 22 shows with over 150 looks—quite the foundation for the creative directors to come.
Image: Adrien Dirand
Dior’s love of the Belle Époque also introduces us to the work of the house’s creative directors. John Galliano’s creations, for one, demonstrate how fashion so often becomes art.
Dior in Britain
Image: Adrien Dirand
Unique to the V&A is ‘Dior in Britain’, a room focused on his love of the country. The centrepiece (recently re-envisioned in The Crown) is the dress he designed for Princess Margaret’s 21st birthday. A portrait of the Princess, taken by Cecil Beaton in 1951, fills an entire wall.
The Garden
Image: Adrien Dirand
People gasp as they enter ‘The Garden’, overflowing with lilac wisteria made of paper. The gowns in this room—interpreted as flowers—are a collection encompassing the entire spectrum of fashion design, from literal cotton flowers to surrealist interpretations by Galliano.
Designers for Dior
‘Designers for Dior’ is an ode to the creative directors—a space filled with sketches, swatches, illustrations and photographs for each designer since Dior passed. Dior’s assistant Yves Saint Laurent led the brand into a new era—with each creative director thereafter re-telling a story of their own.
The Ateliers
Image: Adrien Dirand
‘The Ateliers’ is a brightly lit room dedicated to the makers and filled with toiles and prototypes, revealing what lies beneath what we see as a finished garment worked on by so many—something Dior’s current creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri is keen to remind us through her message of feminist fashion.
Dior Ball Room
Image: Adrien Dirand
The ‘Dior Ball Room’ highlights the sheer skill of haute couture, and the fantasy it creates. Filled with ballgowns, this space will, at the very least, lead you to wonder if this is fashion’s most Instagrammable exhibition.
Image: Adrien Dirand
‘Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams’ is on at the V&A until July 14, 2019
Also read:
Kim Jones reveals what inspired his Dior Men’s pre-fall 2019
Chiara Ferragni’s Dior couture wedding dress used 400 metres of fabric
5 things to know about Dior’s iconic Saddle Bag
The post Inside Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams at Victoria & Albert Museum appeared first on VOGUE India.
from Fashion – VOGUE India http://bit.ly/2BD1cmu
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