I was fortunate to get a ticket to see this most wonderful retrospective exhibition in London this month. And what an enormous treat it was. Tracing the history and impact of one of the 20th century’s most pre-eminent fashion designers, the Dior exhibition spans the years from 1947 to the present day. His ‘New Look’ – a groundbreaking and radical departure from the staid ‘make do and mend’ styles of the war - ushered in a new silhouette, inviting controversy and acclaim in equal measure. With its’ nipped-in waist and ankle length skirt produced from 20 yards of fabric, the ‘New Look’ marked the return of Paris to centre of the fashion world. Christian Dior had arrived.
It is easy to understand why his work had such an immediate impact because the designs he produced and the fabrics he used were the epitome of glamour, of elegance and of luxury. As Will Gompertz said, they were ‘a wonder to behold’.
Featuring over 500 objects in a series of themed galleries (including Dior’s love of all things London and UK related), the exhibition also displays the work of the 6 creative directors employed by the fashion house since 1957. Each one has added his or her own distinctive interpretation to the mix, recreating the creativity of Dior for successive generations. And what a rich mix it is. In the Designers for Dior gallery we see Yves Saint Laurent’s youthful and radical approach to creating couture inspired by the street; Marc Bohan’s mastery of cut and accent; Gianfranco Ferre’s dramatic and structured silhouettes using fine fabrics and embellishment; Raf Simons’ minimalism with touches of the romanticism and femininity much favoured by Dior; John Galliano’s spectacular and theatrical pieces and now, Maria Grazia Chiuri’s feminist reinvention to ensure that the needs of the contemporary woman are front and centre of her work. Her mix of modern tailoring and ethereal romantic evening gowns reimagine Dior’s idea of femininity.
For me, the breathtaking array of gowns displayed in stunning sets created by Nathalie Criniere stole the show, alongside the gallery dedicated to the House of Dior ateliers. The latter gallery demonstrated how the seamstresses or ‘petite mains’ turned all of the ideas into reality. Perfection.
The exhibition has been extended to Sunday 1 September, so if you find yourself in London between now and then – and I appreciate that you don’t have much time now - there are a small number of timed entry tickets available to purchase at 10am daily from the Grand Entrance.
Credits: Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams, V&A August 2019; Christian Dior, Oriole Cullen and Connie Karol Burks, V&A Publishing 2019; Christian Dior, Designer of Dreams review: Golden age emerges as an era defined by true freedom by Karen Dacre, Evening Standard 31 January 2019; Dior: Designer of Dreams at the V&A review by Will Gompertz for BBC online 2 February 2019; Dior at the V&A review: Breathtaking retrospective that at times does not tell the whole story by Harriet Hall, The Independent 31 January 2019 and, Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams review by Rosemary Waugh for TimeOut London, March 2019.
