Having seen the various comments on Facebook about this exhibition, I vowed to get to see it before it finished. A family wedding was occupying much of my time but I foresaw no problem with buying tickets for a later date. How wrong I was! As I tried to book online, the dates filled up and ‘sold out’ appeared against each date. I finally resorted to taking out membership, just as they extended to exhibition to September. But, it has meant that I can go when I like and as often as I like. The whole show is beautifully stages in a new basement gallery at the museum. Having subsequently looked at images from the parallel exhibitions in Paris and Dallas, the same guiding hand has obviously curated them all. Spanning 1947 to the present day, this exhibition traces the history and impact of one of the 20th century's most influential couturiers, exploring the enduring influence of the fashion house, and Dior's relationship with Britain. The first gallery opened with the classic ‘New Look’. After the austerity years of the war, where the economical use of fabric produced short skirts and plain styles, Dior’s styles amazed and shocked with what seemed to be a profligate waste of material. These classic outfits are forever associated with Dior; classic, elegant and designed for his tiny-waisted clients. A visit to Britain early in his life whetted Dior's appetite for things British: the architecture, the tweeds, the history. "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." From Princess Margaret’s 21st birthday gown to the thousands of paper roses blooming in the garden-themed chamber, the mood of Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams is decidedly British. The exhibition is a reconfiguration of the 2017 Paris show, celebrating the country a 21-year-old from Normandy fell in love with upon his first visit to perfect his English. The narrative of the exhibition then moves away from Christian Dior’s lifetime and on to the themes that inspired him, as well as the artistic directors who succeeded him: Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, Raf Simons and Maria Grazia Chiuri. The sumptuous “Travels” section looks at the idea of cultural appreciation and what it means today; “The Garden” room is a sensory delight with paper wisteria, clematis, lily of the valley and roses cascading from the ceiling; and “Diorama” is a curiosity closet of colour-coded accessories, trinkets and 123 magazine covers from 1947 to the present day. And then, to “The Ballroom”: the all-out unabashed celebration of the glamour of Dior and the fantasy that’s contained within a ballroom (or today’s equivalent). Displayed within the last section are the liquid-gold numbers Charlize Theron wore in the J’adore fragrance adverts during her 20 years as brand ambassador plus the first dress Galliano designed at the helm of the house for Diana, Princess of Wales to wear in 1996. The black and ivory costumes are stylish and timeless and are what many identify as pure Dior. I loved them but am totally the wrong shape to have ever worn them. he eighteenth century provided inspiration for the garments displayed together in one gallery, while travel was the theme for another. By this time, the house of Dior had other designers and they followed Dior’s lead in borrowing ideas from far-flung places. I found some of these beautiful as costume designs but totally bizarre as fashion.
One of the most interesting galleries showed the work of the ateliers. The sides of the room from floor to ceiling were filled with toiles in white cotton showing every type of garment construction. Set against a black background, it was a stunning display. I really enjoyed this exhibition, which was enormous. I thought the actual staging was stylish and imaginative with subtle lighting. My one criticism is that it was hard to see some of the black dresses against the black background. My final impression was that Dior himself was in a class of his own. Lesley Ottewell Comments are closed.
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