Dior: From Paris to the World surveys 70 years of the house of Dior’s enduring legacy and its global influence. A selection of more than 200 couture dresses, as well as accessories, costume jewelry, photographs, drawings, runway videos, and other archival material, will trace the history of the iconic haute couture fashion house, its founder, Christian Dior, and the subsequent artistic directors who carried Dior’s vision into the 21st century.
Christian Dior, the art gallerist who became a celebrated couturier, generated a revolution in Paris and around the globe after World War II. Dior created haute couture expressing modern femininity, completely shedding the masculine silhouette that had been established during the war. He conceived sophisticated designs featuring soft shoulders, accentuated busts and nipped waists that marked the beginning of an epic movement in fashion history that would eventually lead to Dior successfully becoming the first worldwide couture house.
The chronological presentation, showcasing pivotal themes in the House of Dior’s history, will focus on how Christian Dior cemented his fashion house’s reputation within a decade and will highlight how his successors, Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, Raf Simons, and Maria Grazia Chiuri, incorporated their own design aesthetic.
This exhibition is organized by the DAM and curated by Florence Müller, the DAM’s Avenir Foundation Curator of Textile Art and Fashion. It features exhibition design by internationally renowned architect Shohei Shigematsu, principal of OMA New York. Following its run at the DAM, this exhibition will travel to the Dallas Museum of Art.
Gianfranco Ferré, Robe Hellébore, Dior Collection Haute Couture, Spring 1995 (detail). Photo ©Paolo Roversi/Art + Commerce
Christian Dior, Bar suit. Afternoon ensemble in shantung and pleated wool, Haute Couture Spring-Summer 1947, Corolle line. Dior Héritage collection, Paris. ©Laziz Hamani.
Yves Saint Laurent for Christian Dior, Banco. Haute couture Spring-Summer 1958, Trapèze line. Smock dress in faille with a peony print. Dior Héritage Collection, Paris; Inv. 1998.2. ©Laziz Hamani.
Marc Bohan for Christian Dior, Soirée à Rio. Chiffon and embroidered faille evening gown worn by Elizabeth Taylor. Haute Couture Spring-Summer 1961, Slim Look collection. Dior Héritage collection, Paris Inv. 1993.15 ©Laziz Hamani
Marc Bohan for Christian Dior, Pollock dress. Long printed faille evening gown. Haute Couture Fall-Winter 1986. Dior Héritage collection, Paris Inv. 2015.450 ©Laziz Hamani.
John Galliano for Christian Dior, Embroidered faille dress. Haute Couture Fall-Winter 2000. Dior Héritage collection, Paris. ©Laziz Hamani
Raf Simons for Christian Dior. 3/4-length duchess satin evening gown with Sterling Ruby SP178 shadow print. Haute Couture Fall-Winter 2012. Dior Héritage collection, Paris. Inv. 2013.56. ©Laziz Hamani
Raf Simons for Christian Dior, Embroidered tulle and silk evening gown. Haute Couture Spring-Summer 2013. Dior Héritage collection, Paris Inv. 2013.122 ©Laziz Hamani
Inside the House of Dior ateliers, preparation for the Spring-Summer 2017 Haute Couture collection, Maria Grazia Chiuri for Christian Dior. ©Sophie Carre.
Christian Dior, Bobby suit, Autumn-Winter 1956 Haute Couture collection. Courtesy of Christian Dior Couture Archives.
Dior fashion models wearing "Vert gazon," "Gavroche," and "Flirt" ensembles (Spring-Summer Haute Couture collection, Slim Look line), 1961. © Mark Shaw / mptvimages.com.
Spring-Summer 2017 Haute Couture collection, Maria Grazia Chiuri for Christian Dior. ©Photo Tierney Gearon. Noemie Abigail @ viva model. Models All Rights Reserved.
Raf Simons in the ateliers for the preparation of his first collection at Dior, Haute Couture Autumn-Winter 2012. © Willy Vanderperre. Courtesy Art + Commerce.
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Dior: From Paris to the World is organized by the Denver Art Museum in association with the Dallas Museum of Art. It is presented by Joy and Chris Dinsdale. Additional funding is provided by Bridget and John Grier, Swarovski, Denver Agency, Nancy Lake Benson, John Brooks Incorporated, Fine Arts Foundation, the donors to the Annual Fund Leadership Campaign, the Textile and Fashion Circle, and the citizens who support the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District (SCFD). Special thanks to the Avenir Foundation for its support of the department of textile art and fashion. Promotional support is provided by 5280 Magazine, CBS4, Comcast Spotlight, and The Denver Post.