70 Years of Christian Dior at Musée des Arts Decoratifs
70th Anniversary of the House of Dior: Christian Dior at the Musée des Arts Decoratifs
Born into the Roaring Twenties, and matured in the world of Parisian entertainment and avant-garde art, Christian Dior devised his namesake brand and built up the enduring influence of its name into one that is the very embodiment of haute couture around the globe. This year marks the 70th anniversary of the creation of the House of Dior and the exquisite Musée des Arts Decoratifs in Paris is celebrating the legacy of the brand, its founder, and his six exceptional successors with an unprecedented exhibition on display through January 2018 – Christian Dior, Couturier du Rêve.
In addition to Dior’s passion for high fashion, he was an avid lover of fine art, furniture, decorative objects and gardens. His designs were full of references to paintings, sculptures and home decor, such as wallpapers, fabrics, china and chinoiserie. The museum’s comprehensive exhibit beautifully illustrates the tie between couture and all the forms of art which inspired Dior’s creations by displaying over 300 haute couture gowns among ateliers decorated with luxury furniture, accessories and antiques, photographs, paintings, documents such as sketches and notes, and a selection of fashion accessories.
Curators, Florence Müller and Olivier Gabet, composed a chronological and themed exhibition which begins with the story of Christian Dior’s life including his time as an art gallery owner. The multi-dimensional exhibit shows the central role Dior gave to the craftspeople who brought his designs to life with an atelier where seamstresses are at work, surrounded by models, dressmakers and sketches. The curators dedicated individual galleries to each of the renowned artistic directors who carried on Dior’s work after his death in 1957 with their distinct creative sensibilities: Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, Raf Simons and, most recently and the first female, Maria Grazia Chiuri. Other galleries include an overview of the development and allure of the Dior line since its inception in 1947.
Art and photography, a profusion of colors and textures, austere Parisian elegance, references to the neoclassical decorative style, the joys of exoticism, a fascination for floral motifs, and so on.
~Musée des Arts Decoratifs: Christian Dior, Couturier du Rêve
The show comes to a close in the lavish setting of the museum’s nave which has been transformed into a dramatic ballroom.
If you are in Paris before January 2018 we highly recommend visiting this impressive exhibition!
Love the history of fashion as much as we do? Check out KOKET’s Top 12 Must-See Fashion Exhibitions in 2017!
