How fabulous was the V&A's Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams exhibition?
I visited the show five times during its extended run and each time I saw something more extraordinary or learnt something else about the venerable fashion house. I also enjoyed taking friends to see the exhibition and watching their reactions to this spectacle of fashion, beauty, fragrance and history.
As the show closes, here are a few of my favourite images that highlight the story behind the House of Dior:
Christian Dior in his atelier with model Sylvie, circa 1948 Courtesy of Christian Dior
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Christian Dior in his atelier with his leading house model Lucky, circa 1955 Courtesy of Christian Dior
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Royal Portrait of Princess Margaret on her 21st birthday in 1951 wearing a Christian Dior evening gown. Photograph by Cecil Beaton (1904–1980)
© Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
Princess Margaret (left), with the Duchess of Marlborough behind, presents Christian Dior with a scroll entitling him to Honorary Life Membership of the British Red Cross after the presentation of his Winter Collection at Blenheim Palace on 3rd November 1954
© Popperfoto / Getty Images
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Christian Dior (1905–57), Bar Suit, Haute Couture, Spring/Summer 1947, Corolle Line. This was a Dior's first collection, dubbed by Carmel Snow, editor-in-chief, of Harper's Bazaar as the New Look
Photo © Laziz Hamani. Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
January 1954 cover of British Vogue, illustrated by Rene Bouche, featuring the Florentine coat from the Christian Dior Haute Couture Autumn/Winter 1953 Vivante collection |
Christian Dior (1905–57), Fête joyeuse, Evening Dress, Haute Couture Spring/Summer 1955, A Line
Photo © Laziz Hamani. Victoria and Albert Museum, London |
Gift of Mrs. Philippe Hecht, 962.18.A-B
Photo © Laziz Hamani
Object courtesy of the Royal Ontario Museum Dior Héritage collection, Paris
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Images from the Christian Dior London boutique at 9 Conduit Street, which opened in 1961 and is now home to Sketch |
Marc Bohan, creative director of Christian Dior from 1960 - 1989. He was the long-serving head designer of the House of Dior |
Metallic shift dress by Marc Bohan for Christian Dior Haute Couture SS68 |
Italian designer Gianfranco Ferre was creative director of Christian Dior from 1989 - 1996 |
Forcement (Necessarily) silk gazer/shantung dress by Gianfranco Ferre from the Christian Dior 'Rendez-vous d'Amour' Haute Couture Spring/Summer 1991 collection |
Regency striped silk jacket by Gianfranco Ferre for Christian Dior RTW SS93 |
Christian Dior appointed London designer John Galliano as creative director in 1996. He injected a sense of drama and fantasy in his collections and presentations. Galliano left the House in 2011 |
Christian Dior by John Galliano (b.1960), Haute Couture, Autumn/Winter 2004
Photo © Laziz Hamani. Dior Héritage collection, Paris |
Christian Dior by John Galliano, J’adore, Dress, Haute Couture, 2008 (custom-made)
Photo © Laziz Hamani. Christian Dior Parfums collection, Paris |
Diosera wool crepe jacket and leather skirt by John Galliano from the Christian Dior
Haute Couture Spring/Summer 1997 collection. Leather hat by Stephen Jones for Christian Dior
added a minimalist sensibility to his collections for the House. He left in 2015 |
Christian Dior by Raf Simons (b.1968), Coat, Haute Couture, Autumn/Winter 2012
Photo © Laziz Hamani. Dior Héritage collection, Paris |
The current creative director of Christian Dior is Italian designer Maria Grazia Chiuri, the first woman to head the design atelier at Dior. She was appointed to the role in 2016 |
Christian Dior by Maria Grazia Chiuri (b. 1964), Dress, Haute Couture, Spring/Summer 2018
Photo © Laziz Hamani. Dior Héritage collection, Paris |
The New Look: Signature Maria Grazia Chiuri styling for Christian Dior RTW SS17, and her modern-spin on the Christian Dior Haute Couture SS47 Bar suit. D-Fence cotton visor created by Stephen Jones |
Left: Silk organza dress from the Tulipe line by Christian Dior for Christian Dior Haute Couture SS53. Right: Mexican influences from Maria Grazia Chiuri for Christian Dior Cruise collection 2019 |
The Ateliers room at the V&A: Christian Dior toiles line the walls to illustrate the workmanship of the petites mains that create the exquisite Haute Couture garments |
Close-up of a toile for a Christian Dior Bar jacket |
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