Enter Dior's World through "Christian DIor, Couturier of Dreams" Exhibition

When in Paris, a stroll within the expansive Louvre or any Parisian museum is – or has always been – a ritual of sort. 

Even when one can be easily bored by the great array of antiquities cataloguing every movement of human civilisation throughout the centuries, it’s a rite that one cannot escape because a) it’s certainly a Parisian thing to do besides enjoying a cup of steamy café au lait at Café de Flore and b) it’s already in the group tour itinerary (oh how I loathe travelling in groups!)

Nevertheless, if you are in Paris at the moment or planning to spend your winter holiday there, do make your way to the Musée des Arts Décoratifs at Rue de Rivoli for Dior’s most lavish yet comprehensive exhibition, entitled Christian Dior, Couturier Du Rêve (Christian Dior, Couturier of Dream). 

Held from 5 July 2017 to 7 January 2018, the six-month exhibition features a delightful menagerie of mesmerising confections whipped by fashion maestro Monsieur Christian Dior and Maison Dior since its inception 70 years ago.

Like a wonderland to Alice, the extravagant exhibition is like a pompous walkthrough imbued with inevitable fantasy and luxurious reverie.  Artefacts on display ranging from a selection of over 300 haute couture gowns designed between 1947 and the present day to a coterie of ready-to-wear, accessories, shoes, fine jewels, advertising dossiers and illustrations – a first-hand reflection of the world seen from the eyes of the late Monsieur Dior and his successors namely Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferre, John Galliano, Raf Simons and the most recent, Maria Grazia Chiuri.

Divided according to several themes, the exhibition is curated by two curators - Florence Müller and Olivier Gabet – and is the second of its kind to be held in Paris. 

The first one being held in 1987, dedicated to the first decade of the maison’s foundation. Like a fairy tale filled with dreams and splendour, the exhibition starts with Christian Dior’s life story, beginning from his childhood in Granville and up to the Twenties when he discovered the artistic avant-garde world and the pleasure of Parisian entertainment.

The story goes on with his training as a fashion illustrator and his entry into the haute couture sphere as well as his foray into the art scene in the late 1920s and early 1934 – a n art gallery that he ran with his friends Jacques Bonjean and Pierre Colle. This part of his life is illustrated with a series of paintings, sculptures and documents that depict an eclectic approach to curating, the older generation of established artists rubbing shoulders with young artists who were Dior’s peers. These up-and-coming talents included Giacometti, Dalí, Calder, Leonor Fini, Max Jacob, Jean Cocteau and Christian Bérard.

As a lover of antiques and objets d’art, an Art Nouveau collector, a decorator enthralled by the 18th century and a garden enthusiast, Dior drew his inspiration on these to embellish his private residences and define the aesthetic for his couture house and designs. His exhibited gowns features references to paintings, sculpture as well as everything that makes up the art of living: wallpapers, fabrics, china and chinoiserie. 

All these creative themes, revisited by his successors so that they have become an integral part of the Dior spirit , are revealed one by one: art and photography, a profusion of colours and textures, austere Parisian elegance, references to the neoclassical decorative style, the joys of exoticism, a fascination for floral motifs, and so on.

To link the themes into a universe that’s Dior, scenographer Nathalie Crinière presents the themes in successive settings that suggest an art gallery, an atelier, a street, a boudoir, journeys, and a fabulous garden. Throughout the exhibition, paintings, sculptures and decorative objets d’art illustrate the couturier’s tastes and sources of inspiration as well as acreative sensibility shared by all the artistic directors who have followed in his footsteps.

A chronological display spanning 70 years from 1947 to present is situated in the nave of the museum, expressing the energy that set it all in motion and the legacy of Dior spirit throughout the years. 

The Bar suit – the icon that launched his career into global fashion stratosphere –with its unforgettable black and white ensemble demonstrates every aspect of Dior innovation and embodies the New Look. It can be said that the New Look – a term coined by the late Carmel Snow of Harper’s Bazaar – has successfully opened the doors to the journey through time.

There are six galleries dedicated to Dior’s past and present Creative Directors, analysing how their designs contributed to the quest to stay faithful to Dior’s vision of haute couture. The daring choice of the very young Yves Saint Laurent was followed by Marc Bohan’s more rational appointment. Next came the flamboyant arrival of Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano’s dramatic take on fashion, the minimalist statement of Raf Simons and Maria Grazia Chiuri and her feminist fashion vision.

In these galleries, the expertise and techniques of haute couture are presented in an atelier where seamstresses - also known as the Petite Mains (little hands) - are at work, surrounded by models, dressmakers, sketches and toiles. An overview of how the Dior line and allure have developed since 1947, illustrated with gowns and extracts of films and catwalk show videos is also available. 

The exhibition ends in the lavish setting of the nave, transformed into a ballroom for a presentation of a series of truly sumptuous ball gowns, including several glittering creations seen together for the first time in Paris. 

Some of them have been worn by famous customers who have helped to build the success of the House of Dior, including Princess Grace of Monaco, Princess Diana, Charlize Theron and Jennifer Lawrence.

*Photos courtesy of Dior

For more information on Christian Dior, Couturier of Dream exhibition and reservations, visit lesartsdecoratifs.fr or fnac.com.