Christian Dior: Couturier du rêve

I assumed that ‘Christian Dior: Couturier du rêve’ was simply going to be a biography of one of the world’s most famous designers. I was expecting a few family photos, personal letters, early design sketches and then some notable pieces. I was wrong, and blown away by the sheer magnitude of this 32,000 sq ft exhibition. At first we do indeed learn about Dior himself, and we are even invited to enjoy his personal art collection, which includes pieces by Salvador Dali and a portrait by Bernard Buffet.

However, no part of the Dior brand is left out of the spotlight, and after being lead to the next floor by a literal rainbow of classic pieces, the rest of the cogs in this humongous clock are slowly
introduced.

People may scoff at the term ‘Make up artist’ but the catwalk looks created by people such as Serge Lutens and Peter Philips deserve no less recognition that the garments themselves. Fashion fans know that the right hair and make up is key to completing a look and the overall theme of a show, and can learn more about the people behind some of Dior’s most notable runway looks. There are also nods to the noses and brains behind Dior’s perfumes, and the actors and directors behind two short, Dior films. The lines between advertisement and art are perfectly blurred in ‘Miss Dior’ Sofia Coppola 2015 starring Natalie Portman, and ‘L.A.dy Dior’ John Cameron Mitchell, 2011 starring Marion Cotillard.

You have to cross the gallery to get to the next part of the exhibition, which itself indicates the sheer scale of it. Here you can sit down to watch videos of iconic Dior catwalks and flick through photography books. One of the most interesting parts of this exhibition was walking through the evolution of Dior as his successor’s have molded the brand. Seeing examples of pieces from John Galliano, then Raf Simons and then Maria Grazia Chirui really demonstrates how a fashion brand can completely transform, but remain recognisable. There are also photo shoots from each era alongside the dresses, and it is interesting to see how the notion of celebrity, modelling techniques and styles of photography have evolved since the beginning of Dior. 

Some of the pieces on display are so intricate it is hard to imagine them being created by hand, but there is proof in ‘Les Ateliers’ room, where two seamstresses are hard at work.

The final room, ‘The Grand Ball’ showcases the most impressive gowns designed and created by the house, and beside each one is information about the starlet it was created for. This beautiful space paired with a magical light display and sound piece really makes for a show stopping end to an impressive exhibition. Even if you are not interested in fashion, this last part is worth a visit for the theatrics alone.

Written by Mabel Wattam