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 With a supporting cast of accessories, sketches and perfume
bottles, "Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams" takes a close look
at the history of the luxury brand he founded in 1946 and which
remains the epitome of haute couture.
In all more than 500 items, the legacy of the late couturier and
his six successors are on display at the Victoria & Albert
Museum from Feb. 2.
"Not only did (Dior) ... revolutionize fashion design ... but he
was also important in how he did business," Oriole Cullen,
Fashion and Textiles curator at the V&A, told Reuters.
"His business model was very much something which is still in
use today. He wanted to look globally and at different markets."
One of the earliest outfits on show is Dior's signature Bar
suit: a sculpted off-white jacket synched at the waist and black
pleated skirt. The 1947 design revolutionized womenswear and was
dubbed Dior's "New Look".
Another highlight is the gold straw embroidered silk bodice and
full-skirted gown Dior designed for Britain's Princess
Margaret's in 1951. She wore the gown for her official 21st
birthday portrait.
Dior's love of Britain - where he staged several fashion shows -
is also explored in the exhibition, which is based on a previous
Paris House of Dior display.
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"He was a self-confessed anglophile," Cullen said. "For him it was
an important market."
Dior died in 1957, aged 52. A young Yves Saint Laurent took over and
was followed by successive creative directors Marc Bohan, Gianfranco
Ferre, John Galliano, Raf Simons and Maria Grazia Chiuri, at the
helm since 2016.
Their designs, worn by royals and celebrities, are mixed alongside
the founder's, each loyal to his legacy and fascinations. Dior was
superstitious - his lucky star is on display - and Chiuri has paid
homage to that in her creations.
"Around the world Dior is Dior. Many people don't know that there
were many designers at Dior," Chiuri told Reuters.
"I think we have to respect this heritage but at the same time we
have to move this heritage in the future. I look around, I take a
lot of inspiration but at the same time my idea is to make this
element contemporary for modern women."
(Reporting By Marie-Louise Gumuchian and Emily Roe; additional
reporting by Hanna Rantala; Writing by Marie-Louise Gumuchian;
editing by John Stonestreet and Diane Craft)
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