Dior: A Fashion House of Dreams, Empowerment and Equality
The Dior Maison recently opened its latest exhibition in London, Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams, at the Victoria and Albert Museum.
A beautiful nod to the famed French designer's love for British culture, the installation is a reconfiguration of the 2017 Paris showcase, Christian Dior: Couturier du Rêve at Musée des Arts Décoratifs. A magnificent observation, the Paris exposition unveiled over 300 couture gowns celebrating the 70th anniversary creation of the House of Dior's founder and the acclaimed couturiers who succeeded him: Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferre, John Galliano, Raf Simons and the current creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri.
Equally stunning, the current London exposition features 60 percent unique content and an array of coveted pieces. Coiled into 11 sections including such themes as Dior in Britain, Ateliers, The Garden, Diorama and The Ballroom among others, more than 500 pieces are on display. There are approximately 200 haute couture pieces, photographs, illustrations and accessories, spanning 1947 to present day.
As reported by Design Week UK, Tristram Hunt, director of the Victoria and Albert Museum shared that “this ambitious and spectacular exhibition celebrates the history and impact of one of the 20th century’s most influential coutourists. It’s the largest and most comprehensive exhibition ever staged in the UK on the House of Dior.”
Dior Exhibition, Victoria and Albert Museum, London. Image Credit: Adrien Dirand
The colorful presentation takes the audience on a journey to discover Dior in the country that he first visited to perfect his English, yet discovered an even deeper admiration for throughout the years. In an interview with Vogue UK, Chiuri expressed that “the relationship between Monsieur Dior and British culture is fascinating. He came here because he wanted to be free – it’s the same story of many. Britain is a place that is strongly about freedom and this comes across in its fashion. I’m lucky to have this important legacy to move the brand forward.”
Since the founding of the brand in 1946, Dior consistently exemplifies the meaning of haute couture: luxury, custom-fit, high-end clothing with a significant attention to detail. As Chiuri eloquently explored with Vogue UK, “When you see fashion presented like this, you can reflect on it in a different way. Fashion is not an image, it’s an experience, and the exhibition is a beautiful experience.”
As with Paris, the London showing transports viewers to a couture land in which they can dream of the past, present and future of fashion while being taken on a journey through the early musings of Dior's founder to feminist tones being executed by Maria Grazia Chiuri today.
The exhibition Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams is on display at London's Victoria and Albert Museum from now until Sunday, 14 July 2019. Tickets may be purchased at Vam.ac.uk/exhibitions/dior-designer-of-dreams.
