Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams

Description

2017 marks the 70th anniversary of the House of Dior. It was in 1947 that Christian Dior presented his first collection and heralded the birth of a new fashion silhouette for women. After the austerity of the war years, the cinched waistlines, full skirts and soft shoulders of the New Look came to embody a revival of Parisian luxury. Paris regained its place as the global capital of fashion and the name of Dior became a synonym for haute couture. For this book, seventy of the most memorable looks created Christian Dior and his successors - Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferre, John Galliano, Raf Simons and Maria Grazia Chiuri - have been specially selected and photographed in fascinating detail. These wonderful designs are also featured in sketches, runway shots and fashion shoots by the world's greatest fashion photographers, including Irving Penn, Richard Avedon, Cecil Beaton, William Klein, Helmut Newton, Patrick Demarchelier, Paolo Roversi, Peter Lindbergh, Mario Testino and Nick Knight. Recurring themes from the history of Dior are discussed in depth: the concept of line and architecture in fashion; the influence of history and art (the Palace of Versailles, the Empire style, Impressionism, the Belle Epoque, the Ballets Russes, Picasso, Dali, Pollock); the use of colour; the influence of gardens and landscapes as sources of inspiration; and, of course, the brand's muses and famous clients: the Duchess of Windsor, Marlene Dietrich, Princess Grace of Monaco, Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Isabelle Adjani, Princess Diana, Marion Cotillard, Charlize Theron, Natalie Portman, Jennifer Lawrence and more.

Florence Muller is a Professor at the Institut Francais de la Mode (IFM), where she teaches the History of Fashion. Fabien Baron is a celebrated art director. He is one of fashion's most influential visionaries and the creator of many of the industry's most iconic images. He has art-directed many magazines including Italian Vogue, Interview and Harpers Bazaar. He has received a special award for influence in art direction from the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Olivier Gabet is Director of the Musee des Arts decoratifs in Paris.

Gorgeous chronological images focus on details of the clothing included in the exhibition... Visually stunning and beautiful, this is recommended for French fashion and history buffs.-- "Library Journal"