Inspiration Dior, Fashion as Art

On February 12, 1947, Christian Dior presented his first collection on Avenue Montaigne. The revolution is underway and the new look is born. Unknown until that moment, the genius designer, who revered the French way of life entered a triumphant decade, providing women with a sublime look.

In this major exhibition " Inspiration Dior," the Pushkin Museum showcases Dior magic and luxury while emphasizing the outstanding house's links with art. The key themes of the Dior legend - past and present - are presented on a grand scale in original fashion, set against unique works of art.

The new look is echoed in works by Picasso, Modigliani, Renoir, Cezanne and Gauguin. Nudes by Vanessa Beecroft, Maurizio Cattelan  and Orlan emphasize the modern lines of the female body, accentuated by Christian Dior.

Inspiration Dior is an enchanting waltz through time with lush gardens and recollections of the 18th century and the Belle Epoque, Marie-Antoinette meets Jeff Koons. Bonnard's landscapes celebrates Dior's flower-women. This exhibition takes the visitor in a fabulous journey around the world, Spain via Goya, heady Orient via Matisse and of course Russia and Asia.

Photo: Luc Castel

Courtesy Dior

Inspiration Dior is currently on exhibited at the Pushkin Museum in Moscow

April 28 - July 24
This post is also featured on the Huffington Post

yes, Virginia

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 Nancy, dressed at enormous expense by the greatest artists in Paris, 

stood there looking as if her body had merely put forth, 

of its own accord, a green frill.

 Virginia Woolf

image of Christian Lacroix Spring 2009 Couture

at style.com

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decked in dior

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Christian Dior-Paris, 1954 #1Photo by Mark Shaw

from Svenska Mobler

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Junon

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this creation "JUNO" named for wife of Zeus. Juno, possibly the first ornithologist, bestowed her beloved Peacock with his glorious plumage of iridescent turquoise.
that Christian Dior's deeply flouncing gown crinolined and corseted its wearer was much the fate of Juno's peacock- enslaved by the burden of his weighty train to Earth and Dior's mannequins-enslaved to Fashion.

Dior's junon ca 1949
Pavo cristatus
Tiepolo's juno and luna, ca. 1735.


read what the met has to say here


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American Dior by Kate Betts

Christian Dior was an influential French fashion designer, best known as the founder of one of the world's top fashion houses, also called Christian Dior. He lived the American dream. From the first time he set foot in New York, the legendary designer had a special relationship with the United States, and he may even be more important in America than in France.
 American Dior, the 168 pages-book, published by Assouline, contains detailed drawings of the elaborate foundations, images of the New Look collection and more. With the introduction of the New look, Dior became American fashion's ultimate agent provocateur playing on the country's appetite for newness and for French savoir-faire. His collection revolutionized women's dress. His designs were more voluptuous with the use of fabrics lined with percale, bustier-style bodices, hip padding, wasp-waisted corsets and petticoats, giving his models a very curvaceous form. Dior used to say that his client would be "the most elegant woman in the world," which proved to be true, dressing an A-list of American icons such as Lauren Bacall, Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe and Elisabeth Taylor among them.

Images courtesy Assouline

American Dior is available at Assouline

Catherine Earnshaw at Christian Dior

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"I've dreamt in my life dreams that have stayed with me ever after, 

and changed my ideas; they've gone through and through me, 

like wine through water, and altered the colour of my mind."

"Heaven did not seem to be my home; 

and I broke my heart with weeping to come back to earth; 

and the angels were so angry that 

they flung me out into the middle of the heath 

on the top of Wuthering Heights; where I woke sobbing for joy. 

That will do to explain my secret, as well as the other"

 "My love for Linton is like the foliage in the woods. 

Time will change it, 

I'm well aware, as winter changes the trees - 

my love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath - 

a source of little visible delight, but necessary."

The collection of Christian Dior by John Galiano presented in Paris-

evoking Catherine Earnshaw Linton, the Heights, the moors, the heath-

"Heaven did not seem to be my home; 

and I broke my heart with weeping to come back to earth; 

and the angels were so angry that they flung me out 

into the middle of the heath on the top of Wuthering Heights; 

where I woke sobbing for joy. T

hat will do to explain my secret, as well as the other."

 "I sought, and soon discovered, 

the three head-stones on the slope next the moor — 

the middle one, gray, and half buried in heath — 

Edgar Linton's only harmonized by the turf and moss, 

creeping up its foot — Heathcliff's still bare.

   I lingered round them, under that benign sky; 
watched the moths fluttering among the heath, 
and hare-bells; listened to the soft wind breathing through the grass; 
and wondered how anyone could ever imagine unquiet slumbers, 
for the sleepers in that quiet earth."

All quotations from Wuthering Heights-Emily Bronte Here

All photos on Style.com Here

All about Wuthering Heights Here

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