Its been a while since the ever-hungry fashion world longed for such a spectacle of an exhibition! Dior: Couturier du Rêve, Designer of Dreams gave us that and a bit more besides.
Christian Dior, one of the most traditional of French houses, has been through a rather “shaky” path ever since the Galliano years, but in fact The Musée des Arts Décoratifs of Paris have done a magnificent job to celebrate the House of Dior 70th anniversary. For the past few years, apart from Valentino, Alexander McQueen and Rei Kawakubo at the Met the fashionistas deserved something truly special and this ticked every single box for lovers of Fashion and Art.
The Musee des Arts Decoratifs in Paris is the place to go for magical exhibitions: The Jean Paul Goude, Louis Vuitton and even Barbie!. The Grand Palais and The Bourdelle Museum recently also had 2 great exhibitions : Jean Paul Gaultier and Balenciaga, but nothing as splendorous as this.
The museum is right at the heart of Paris’s 1st arrondissement, almost as an annex to the Louvre, and at the boarders of the ethereal Garden of Tuilleries. The best way to gain access to the exhibition is via their website, otherwise you will be left to the mercy of a not-too helpful staff and endless waiting queues. Believe me the queues are massive! However once you enter, the magical journey begins!
From a quick introduction and a series of original and replicas, original sketches, old photographs, small notes…you get access to this incredible world of beauty, luxury and pure artistry.
The following rooms are like an art class on hues of colors…from greens, reds, black, blues, hyacinths…even yellow looks amazing on anything there!!! It’s a collage of dresses accessories, perfumes, sketches…and everything you could breathe DIOR…simply amazing! A wonderful room of inspiration of overhead vines in a white garden, there is a superb video on the website showing how this was created
From vintage pieces to celebrated modern designs, one thing you will notice, is a strong identity of the brand, which somehow has been kept along the years, through the hands of Monsieur Dior’s successors. From the genius Yves Saint Laurent to rebellious John Galliano to Gianfranco Ferre, Marc Bohan, Raf Simons and the latter, very talented, Maria Grazia Chiuri, who had just come from a successful path at Valentino. Halfway through the exhibition you will come across this incredible “three storeys high white room” with several toiles of the most iconic pieces. And in one small corner you will meet 2 lovely seamstresses explaining (in French) their role on some pieces and how they have been adapted from old archives to modern days. A really special treat!
On the second part of the building you will see the “New Look”, a historical moment in Fashion and the iconic “Bar Suit Look” with its distinctive “wasp-like” waist where was famously quoted by Coco Chanel at the time “Only a man who never was intimate with a woman could design something that uncomfortable.” but despite everything…nothing stopped him. Christian Dior came to stay!
The next room on the top of the imperial staircase, you will see a series of contemporary designers and the reference to Dior is un-shameful and the question that was in my head…there are not many corners for fashion to turn. Everything has been copied and reinvented. Whats next?
At the very end, one of my favorite rooms is the Ball Room, where you will see some of the most breathtaking gowns from all eras. It’s a celebration about creativity and craftsmanship. Haute Couture at its best. The beauty never ends…the room is lit up by a precise lighting recreating a summer garden outside with beautiful projections.
Closing with an enchanting evening…of a star lit sky descending all around you! Once you get there, wait and see! Its magical. It’s a place to dream of an era that in reality…no longer exists
CHRISTIAN DIOR
COUTURIER DU RÊVE – Designer of Dreams
open until to 7 January 2018
https://www.dior.com/couture/en_us/the-house-of-dior/exhibitions/christian-dior-couturier-du-reve
Review by Peter Harrington queerguru Contributing Editor
