Open a high-end fashion magazine today and you might find a look resembling that of a Christian Dior design. You might even find an old design of his being worn by one of today’s hottest celebrities. This well known designer has influenced women’s fashion tremendously. Christian Dior was born in 1905 in a French Coastal town named Granville. He went against his family’s wishes of him becoming a diplomat and convinced his dad to support his artistic goals. He father funded an art gallery for Dior to run; however, financial troubles of his father forced the company to close. After his gallery was shut down, Dior worked closely with designer Robert Piguet throughout the 1930s. He spent two years in the army, but then went to work with Lucien Long in 1942. Dior created his couture business in 1946 in Paris, with the help of Marcel Boussac. Christian Dior was given much freedom with his creations, which was unusual at the time (Christian Dior).
His first creation was the New Look, which he created because he figured people wanted something new and refreshing after wartime (Christian Dior/Design/Designer Information). It was a below calf full length skirt, but with a much fuller bust than seen in previous years. It had a small cinched waist, which was a result of the post war fabric restrictions, and only used 20 yards of fabric. It created the trademark silhouette, which strongly contrasted the boxy conservative shapes of the clothes during the years of war. This also contrasted with previous years’ fashion because hemlines rose in the first two decades of the 20th century, but Dior lowered them back to the calf. The New Look exploded throughout this time period and soon became what Christian Dior was known for (Christian Dior). Many propose that the poodle skirts of the 1950s slightly resemble Dior’s skirt designs (Hielbrunn). Dior allowed for knock off designs to be made, on the condition that these designers attend his shows and buy a minimum number of outfits (Christian Dior/Design/Designer Information). He began to introduce new versions of this look a few times per year, forcing women to update their wardrobes much more often than before. This trend is still seen in today’s fashion, as different seasons of clothing are produced and purchased at different times of the year. These women mostly consisted of the upper class, as this was a very expensive lifestyle to maintain. Christian Dior’s fashions are still seen in America today, as magazines such as Vogue consistently print articles and pictures of his fashions.
His first creation was the New Look, which he created because he figured people wanted something new and refreshing after wartime (Christian Dior/Design/Designer Information). It was a below calf full length skirt, but with a much fuller bust than seen in previous years. It had a small cinched waist, which was a result of the post war fabric restrictions, and only used 20 yards of fabric. It created the trademark silhouette, which strongly contrasted the boxy conservative shapes of the clothes during the years of war. This also contrasted with previous years’ fashion because hemlines rose in the first two decades of the 20th century, but Dior lowered them back to the calf. The New Look exploded throughout this time period and soon became what Christian Dior was known for (Christian Dior). Many propose that the poodle skirts of the 1950s slightly resemble Dior’s skirt designs (Hielbrunn). Dior allowed for knock off designs to be made, on the condition that these designers attend his shows and buy a minimum number of outfits (Christian Dior/Design/Designer Information). He began to introduce new versions of this look a few times per year, forcing women to update their wardrobes much more often than before. This trend is still seen in today’s fashion, as different seasons of clothing are produced and purchased at different times of the year. These women mostly consisted of the upper class, as this was a very expensive lifestyle to maintain. Christian Dior’s fashions are still seen in America today, as magazines such as Vogue consistently print articles and pictures of his fashions.
Sources:
"A Glimpse into the Exclusive World of Haute Couture." RSS. Accessed October 9, 2014. http://www.luciajosephinestyling.com/blog/2014/7/12/a-glimpse-into-the-exclusive-world-of-haute-couture
"Christian Dior Biography. The Life and History of Christian Dior." StyleSequel.com. Accessed October 9, 2014.
http://www.stylesequel.com/designers/christian-dior/biography
"Christian Dior / - Design/Designer Information." Christian Dior / - Design/Designer Information. Accessed December 2, 2014. http://design.designmuseum.org/design/christian-dior.
"Christian Dior | Publish with Glogster!" Glogster. Accessed October 9, 2014. http://www.glogster.com/missjessicacouture/christian-dior/g-6koplalfsp959rsl2r5s6a0
"Dior's New Look." Dior's New Look. Accessed October 9, 2014. http://www.mutoworld.com/Dior.htm
"Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History." Christian Dior (1905–1957). Accessed October 9, 2014. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/dior/hd_dior.htm
"Monday Muse: Dior’s New Look Inspires Rochas and Thom Browne." Fashion Trends Daily. January 1, 2013. Accessed October 9, 2014. http://www.fashiontrendsdaily.com/runway-fashion/monday-muse-diors-new-look-inspires-rochas-and-thom-browne
"A Glimpse into the Exclusive World of Haute Couture." RSS. Accessed October 9, 2014. http://www.luciajosephinestyling.com/blog/2014/7/12/a-glimpse-into-the-exclusive-world-of-haute-couture
"Christian Dior Biography. The Life and History of Christian Dior." StyleSequel.com. Accessed October 9, 2014.
http://www.stylesequel.com/designers/christian-dior/biography
"Christian Dior / - Design/Designer Information." Christian Dior / - Design/Designer Information. Accessed December 2, 2014. http://design.designmuseum.org/design/christian-dior.
"Christian Dior | Publish with Glogster!" Glogster. Accessed October 9, 2014. http://www.glogster.com/missjessicacouture/christian-dior/g-6koplalfsp959rsl2r5s6a0
"Dior's New Look." Dior's New Look. Accessed October 9, 2014. http://www.mutoworld.com/Dior.htm
"Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History." Christian Dior (1905–1957). Accessed October 9, 2014. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/dior/hd_dior.htm
"Monday Muse: Dior’s New Look Inspires Rochas and Thom Browne." Fashion Trends Daily. January 1, 2013. Accessed October 9, 2014. http://www.fashiontrendsdaily.com/runway-fashion/monday-muse-diors-new-look-inspires-rochas-and-thom-browne