The Christian Dior exhibition in London: The story behind Princess Margaret's iconic gown and more

'There is no other country in the world, besides my own, whose way of life I like so much. I love English traditions, English politeness, English architecture. I even love English cooking' - Christian Dior
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Megan C. Hills1 February 2019

If you didn’t get a chance to see Christian Dior’s landmark exhibition in Paris, never fear - another one is coming to the V&A this February. Based on the original Parisian showing, the upcoming London exhibit is called Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams and has been revised by curator Oriole Cullen - bringing Christian Dior’s obsession with Britain to the forefront with a brand new section.

With eleven different chapters to explore, fans of the brand will be able to see iconic pieces up close: including Princess Margaret’s 21st birthday dress and Dior’s legendary Bar Suit. As well as exploring the brand’s origins and the life of the man who started it all, the exhibit will also take fans through Dior’s various modern chapters and the artistic directors who followed him.

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The exhibit is the V&A’s second largest fashion exhibit ever - currently in first place is the 2015 Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty show which ran for 21 weeks and sold a groundbreaking 480,000 tickets.

As for what you can expect from Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams? Curator Oriole Cullen shared her insights into six of the upcoming show’s biggest looks.

Christian Dior Bar Suit, from the Spring/Summer 1947 'Corolle' Haute Couture Line

(Laziz Hamani / V&A)
V&A

Cullen said, “In 1947, Christian Dior revolutionised fashion with his New Look. Offering a radical alternative to the boxy, masculine style of women’s fashion after the Second World War, Dior’s designs caused a sensation, and revolutionised the female silhouette.”

Crafted from shantung silk, crepe wool and taffeta, the Dior Bar suit has become one of the brand’s most iconic pieces. This one in particular is very special as it dates back to Christian Dior’s very first haute couture collection in 1947, named the Corolle collection.

Cullen continued, “The Bar suit has become the emblem of Dior’s New Look style. In 1960, Cecil Beaton helped the V&A acquire this original ensemble from the House of Dior. In pristine condition, and with a 19-inch waist, it is a quintessential example of the exaggerated upside-down corolla silhouette with which Dior conquered the fashion world.”

Princess Margaret's 21st Birthday Dress, 1951

(V&A / Cecil Beaton)
V&A / Cecil Beaton

Before Meghan Markle formed a close bond with French fashion house Givenchy, Princess Margaret was enamoured with Christian Dior.

Dior and the royal’s relationship began back in 1949, when Princess Margaret visited him at his atelier and they formed a strong bond. The following year, Dior put on a private fashion show for the Queen, Princess Margaret, Princess Marina the Duchess of Kent and Princess Olga of Greece.

“Dior designed this dress for Princess Margaret’s 21st birthday, and she was photographed by Cecil Beaton in it for her official birthday portrait,” Cullen explained. “The princess remained a client of the House of Dior for many years.”

Princess Margaret with Christian Dior, 1954
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According to the Telegraph, Princess Margaret called it her "favourite dress of all" and Cullen also revealed that the dress was on loan from the Museum of London. She also explained, "To see it up close is very interesting as it has straw embroidery on it, which I think is not necessarily what you’d expect to see decorating a royal."

She added, "This dress is one of the highlights from the exhibition’s Dior in Britain section, charting Christian Dior’s fascination with British culture."

Dior's relationship with British royalty didn't stop there, as according to Country and Townhouse Dior also staged fashion shows in stately homes such as Blenheim Palace.

Christian Dior Fête Joyeuse Evening Dress, Spring/Summer 1955 Haute Couture 'A' Line

(Laziz Hamani / V&A)
V&A

Dating back to 1955, this dress made a public appearance when socialite and later author Emma Tennant was presented to society in it. Cullen explained, “Emma Tennant wore this silk organza dress when she was presented as a debutante at the royal court in June 27, 1955. Referred to as ‘coming out’ this archaic tradition was a method of introducing young girls into society and formed part of a six-month season beginning in May with parties and social events, such as Queen Charlotte’s Ball.”

According to the V&A, the silk organza is stiffened with nylon net and features a boned bodice. Tennant went into further detail in her memoirs as she called it “almost indestructible, being built with whalebones and further strengthened with what appeared to be a beige baize stiffened with wire”.

Cullen added that the dress was particularly unusual due to its bright red hue. She said, “Tennant’s choice of a red strapless dress was unusually sophisticated for a debutante at the time when white and pastel colours were deemed the suitable choice for young girls.“

The dress later featured as part of Dior’s Spring/Summer collection in 1955, which the designer named his ‘A’ collection. The unusual name stemmed from the fact that he felt the letter “perfectly illustrated” the silhouette the brand was aiming for, which the V&A described as featuring “narrow shoulders, loosely defined waists and flared skirts”.

Christian Dior by John Galliano Gown, Autumn/Winter 2004 Haute Couture

(V&A / Laziz Hamani / Dior Heritage Collection)
V&A / Laziz Hamani

After Christian Dior passed away in 1957, the house’s creative spirit passed hands many times with the likes of Yves Saint Laurent and Marc Bohan carrying its torch for a little while. On the 60th anniversary of the house, John Galliano stepped into the role and breathed electricity into the brand’s sophisticated DNA. Cullen described Galliano’s talent for “fantastical story-telling through garments” inspired by the places he’d travelled to and said that his shows were full of “spectacle and drama”. However, Galliano still found space to pay homage to Dior’s long history.

“From his first collection, Galliano delved into the history of the House,” Cullen said, “referencing garments and key figures from Dior’s life, including his muse Mitzah Bricard, model Alla Ilchun and his mother, Madeleine Dior.”

John Galliano at the Christian Dior SS 2007 Haute Couture show
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He also delved further into the history of this particular dress which is from one of his later shows: Galliano's Autumn/Winter 2004 presentation. Cullen explained, “It is inspired by 1950s pin-up girls and the 19th century Austrian Empress Elisabeth known as Sisi, and is accessorised with an orb, sceptre and dramatic crown of Swarovski crystals.”

Christian Dior by Raf Simons, Autumn/Winter 2012 Haute Couture

(V&A / Laziz Haman / Dior Heritage Collection)
V&A / Laziz Haman

In 2012, Belgian designer Raf Simons took the reins of the French house to much fanfare and a now legendary floral extravaganza for his debut Christian Dior show. In distinct contrast to Galliano, his style was more minimalist and marked a very different chapter for the house. According to Cullen, Simons “pushed the technical skills of the ateliers to the extreme” and his first Dior collection became the subject of the 2014 documentary Dior and I.

Cullen said, “Known as a master of minimalism, Simons maintained a focus on cut and line with touches of the romanticism and femininity favoured by Christian Dior. Simons continually referenced the codes of the House alongside an abstract, architectural approach.”

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One such way Simons remixed Dior’s classic silhouettes was through this bold red recreation of the Bar Suit figure above. Cullen said, “For his first haute couture collection, [Simons] reinterpreted the New Look silhouette, injecting a streamlined modernity that reflected the practicalities of clothing for the contemporary woman. Describing the Bar suit as ‘one of the ultimate, iconic Dior looks’, Simons took direct inspiration from the impeccably tailored nipped-in waists and full skirts of Dior’s New Look.”

Christian Dior by Maria Grazia Chiuri, Eventail de vos hasards Dress, Spring/Summer 2018 Haute Couture

(V&A / Laziz Haman / Dior Heritage Collection)
V&A

Taking us into the modern day, this pastel tulle gown by Dior’s current creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri is evidence the brand remains at the forefront of haute couture. According to Cullen and the V&A, this pleated masterpiece is actually a riff on a humble piece of Dior’s history: a fan handed out to fashion show attendees in the 50s.

Cullen said, “The current creative director of Dior, Maria Grazia Chiuri, created this magnificent final look for the Shanghai presentation of her Spring/Summer 2018 haute couture collection."

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"The dress references a promotional fan given out during Dior fashion shows throughout the 1950s, now in the V&A’s collection," she continued.

The V&A shared a glimpse of the fan on Instagram, which has browned around the edges but still appears to be in fantastic condition. If you look closely, the text on Chiuri's dress appears to mimic the typography on the fan.

Cullen elaborated, “Chiuri has translated the pleated paper fan leaf into cascades of pleated tulle and embroidered the skirt with Dior’s signature, underlining the enduring legacy of the House’s founder.”

Dior Dinner - In pictures

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When will the Christian Dior exhibit open?

Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams is set to open on Saturday, 2 February 2019.

How much do tickets to the Christian Dior exhibit cost?

Tickets for the V&A exhibition cost between £20-£24 and can be booked online now.

Tickets for Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams at the V&A can now be booked online and the exhibit will open on February 2, 2019.

Dior Haute Couture Spring Summer 2019

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