Dior Hats: From Christian Dior to Stephen Jones

Description

Under the direction of the renowned milliner Stephen Jones, who has been working with Dior since 1996, this book explores Dior's relationship with the art and craft of creating hats. Christian Dior himself, who began his career by designing headpieces, wrote in his Little Dictionary of Fashion: "A hat is essential to any outfit. It completes it. In a way, a hat is the best way to express your personality." Published on the occasion of the 2020 exhibition at the Musee Christian Dior in Granville, France, this sophisticated illustrated volume celebrates more than 70 years of exquisite creations. Opening with a focus on hats designed by the legendary couturier Christian Dior, the book develops to include the headdress created by the house over the years, exploring its pieces by styles, shapes, and inspirations - from floral and exotic to masculine, traditional, or romantic. Dior hats have always been expressions of sophistication, from the first millineries that were part of the New Look silhouette, to the Venetian masks imagined by Yves Saint Laurent, the exquisite toques by Marc Bohan, the dramatic boaters by Gianfranco Ferre, the flamboyant and extravagant realisations by John Galliano, the graphic neck bow by Raf Simons, and the romantic designs by Maria Grazia Chiuri. Stephen Jones reviews such fashion history and reflects on his prolific relationship with the house. His insightful texts are accompanied by contributions by fashion specialists Alexander Fury, Natasha Fraser-Cavassoni, and Florence Mu ller, and enlivened by drawings and photographs from Dior's archives, shots by the most famed fashion photographers of the last decades, such as Richard Avedon, Erwin Blumenfeld, Mario Testino, and special, never-before-published images by Solve Sundsbo.

One of the most famous and radical milliners, Stephen Jones has been collaborating with Dior for more than twenty years and co-curated the exhibition Hats: An Anthology at the V&A Museum in 2009. He was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 2010.

"One more time this reader has been wrong in thinking that there isn't anything more that can possibly be written about this fabled heritage brand and designer, but in this particular instance this reader could not have more thrilled with the content of Dior Hats: From Christian Dior to Stephen Jones! Mr. Jones proves himself as talented and adept with the pen as he is with a hat block. This book is one of the most delightfully written monographs that singles out not only the one aspect of the brand but also the eponymous designer and all those who followed in his footsteps and became part of that orbit." - NEW YORK JOURNAL OF BOOKS "Christian Dior once said "without hats there is no civilization." Written by Stephen Jones, the curator of the Dior Hats exhibition at the Musee Christian Dior in Granville, France, Dior Hats gives a glimpse into the fantastical world of Dior Atelier headdresses over the years. Jones's compelling texts are accompanied by drawings and photographs from the Dior Archive, as well as shots by the iconic photographers Richard Avedon, Sir Cecil Beaton, and Craig McDean." -ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST.COM