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Christian Dior: History and Modernity, 1947 - 1957
Arguably the most famous fashion designer of the twentieth century, Christian Dior created feminine fashions that were desired, worn, and emulated by women around the world. This lavishly illustrated volume explores the brilliance behind Dior’s dramatic creations, which revived the entire Paris haute couture industry after the devastation of World War II.
This volume features the Royal Ontario Museum’s collection of Christian Dior couture, accompanied by sketches and material from Christian Dior Heritage along with photographs of the collection taken by world-renowned Dior photographer Laziz Hamani. In addition to showcasing Dior’s most striking designs, from daytime to evening wear, the book examines how the lighthearted and contoured “New Look” swept away the gloom and gravity of the wartime silhouette, and explains the innovative dressmaking techniques behind key Dior signatures. Christian Dior is an essential read for anyone interested in fashion, art, culture, and history.
This volume features the Royal Ontario Museum’s collection of Christian Dior couture, accompanied by sketches and material from Christian Dior Heritage along with photographs of the collection taken by world-renowned Dior photographer Laziz Hamani. In addition to showcasing Dior’s most striking designs, from daytime to evening wear, the book examines how the lighthearted and contoured “New Look” swept away the gloom and gravity of the wartime silhouette, and explains the innovative dressmaking techniques behind key Dior signatures. Christian Dior is an essential read for anyone interested in fashion, art, culture, and history.
- GenresFashionNonfiction
200 pages, Hardcover
Published January 15, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 29, 2020
This is a coffee table book I bought when the Glenbow showed a Royal Ontario Museum exhibit of Christian Dior dresses. The author gave a talk based on the book before the audience was surprised with an advance showing, just for us!!
I love beautiful dresses but I don't think I'm terribly fashionable and I don't know much about fashion. I certainly don't have the figure to wear one of these beautiful dresses.
This was an eye opener. I think the book and pictures would not have impressed me as much if I hadn't seen the dresses on display and had details pointed out by Ms. Palmer. There was so much more to them than I imagined.
The book goes into more detail about the Dior design referred to as the New Look. The idea was a classic feminine silhouette created by the intricate design and patterning along with corsets constructed into each dress. The idea was soft and feminine lines created with an under structure that adapted the body to that shape. There were critics. But post war this was extravagant and luxurious with so much fabric and adornment along with that classic elegance. It was art.
There is so much that went into these dresses. Simple details like embroidery, ribbons, buttons, the type of fabric, the colours, the bias of the cut, the way pockets were sewn, patterns to avoid darts, pleats that added yards of fabric to a single skirt. My favourites are Isabelle, Paimpolaise and Autriche. I'm sure there are Dior fans out there who know each dress from this series without having to look them up.
Here's a link to the Glenbow exhibit page. https://www.glenbow.org/exhibitions/d...
And a link to pictures I took at the exhibition: https://photos.app.goo.gl/3YspHMuvSTW...
The 2nd half of the book are the "Anatomies" of each dress featured in the ROM collection. The staff at the ROM provides details about the season the dress came out, the atelier, the mannequin (yes there were unique manniquins both the standing ones and human ones used to create the New Look, the fabric some of the Dior house record and drawings and of course beautiful pictures of the dress and details.
I doubt I'll pursue more reading about fashion but I found it more fascinating that I thought I would and the dresses are pieces of art and architecture.
I love beautiful dresses but I don't think I'm terribly fashionable and I don't know much about fashion. I certainly don't have the figure to wear one of these beautiful dresses.
This was an eye opener. I think the book and pictures would not have impressed me as much if I hadn't seen the dresses on display and had details pointed out by Ms. Palmer. There was so much more to them than I imagined.
The book goes into more detail about the Dior design referred to as the New Look. The idea was a classic feminine silhouette created by the intricate design and patterning along with corsets constructed into each dress. The idea was soft and feminine lines created with an under structure that adapted the body to that shape. There were critics. But post war this was extravagant and luxurious with so much fabric and adornment along with that classic elegance. It was art.
There is so much that went into these dresses. Simple details like embroidery, ribbons, buttons, the type of fabric, the colours, the bias of the cut, the way pockets were sewn, patterns to avoid darts, pleats that added yards of fabric to a single skirt. My favourites are Isabelle, Paimpolaise and Autriche. I'm sure there are Dior fans out there who know each dress from this series without having to look them up.
Here's a link to the Glenbow exhibit page. https://www.glenbow.org/exhibitions/d...
And a link to pictures I took at the exhibition: https://photos.app.goo.gl/3YspHMuvSTW...
The 2nd half of the book are the "Anatomies" of each dress featured in the ROM collection. The staff at the ROM provides details about the season the dress came out, the atelier, the mannequin (yes there were unique manniquins both the standing ones and human ones used to create the New Look, the fabric some of the Dior house record and drawings and of course beautiful pictures of the dress and details.
I doubt I'll pursue more reading about fashion but I found it more fascinating that I thought I would and the dresses are pieces of art and architecture.
May 30, 2020
This is an ambitious and, as far as I'm aware, quite unique book. It examines Christian Dior's work from the first collection for his eponymous house to his last before his death - quite the legacy for only ten years of work, but with a focus on analysing individual garments. The first 100 or so pages covers the house during this period with a particular focus on licensing rights for international coutouriers and department stores, as well as the suppliers and ateliers Dior worked with to produce his collections.
The second half of the book however is the real treasure. In the "Anatomies" section Palmer thoroughly deconstructs and traces the origins of around 40 Dior creations from the Royal Ontario Musum's collection. Each item's, provenance, owner, and construction are explored, as well as being exquisitely photographed in detail. Some garments have even been reverse engineered to include potential pattern cutting layouts. I can't think where else a layperson could experience these garments in such up-close and breathtaking detail.
The second half of the book however is the real treasure. In the "Anatomies" section Palmer thoroughly deconstructs and traces the origins of around 40 Dior creations from the Royal Ontario Musum's collection. Each item's, provenance, owner, and construction are explored, as well as being exquisitely photographed in detail. Some garments have even been reverse engineered to include potential pattern cutting layouts. I can't think where else a layperson could experience these garments in such up-close and breathtaking detail.
February 21, 2020
Incredible, exquisite, meticulous, amazing must read, must own if you’re into fashion history, especially if you sew and/or design yourself. I’m speechless really it’s the kind of book you hope would be written and never is. The holy grail for any Dior devotee.
December 24, 2021
So, I am a hard critic of this type of book. I want something that focuses on the clothes and gives
excessive details on them, is not to drawn out, definatly not to much focus on the designer and good quality photos from all angels. And I must say, this is a winner.
I can't claim to have read this book particularly thoroughly, as a dressmaker I am the most interested in the construction and structure of the garment it self, so I can't testify to all the writing in this book. But, oh my god, the information you get! Pretty detailed descriptions but most of all the patterns. It is so interesting and oh-so-valuble if you are looking to remake the piece, something simmilar or are just looking to get a better understanding of dressmaking, they are gold. It must have been so hard to reverse engineer the patterns, I am so impressed. Especially compared to similar books that hardly give any information on the construction of the garment at all, this is increadible.
A small yet big issue is with the pictures in the book. A lot of the clothes are black, so why on earth are they on a black backround?????? How does that make sense??? Like I can't see the details of the dresses or jackets??? Who's idea was this because I want to talk
excessive details on them, is not to drawn out, definatly not to much focus on the designer and good quality photos from all angels. And I must say, this is a winner.
I can't claim to have read this book particularly thoroughly, as a dressmaker I am the most interested in the construction and structure of the garment it self, so I can't testify to all the writing in this book. But, oh my god, the information you get! Pretty detailed descriptions but most of all the patterns. It is so interesting and oh-so-valuble if you are looking to remake the piece, something simmilar or are just looking to get a better understanding of dressmaking, they are gold. It must have been so hard to reverse engineer the patterns, I am so impressed. Especially compared to similar books that hardly give any information on the construction of the garment at all, this is increadible.
A small yet big issue is with the pictures in the book. A lot of the clothes are black, so why on earth are they on a black backround?????? How does that make sense??? Like I can't see the details of the dresses or jackets??? Who's idea was this because I want to talk
June 2, 2023
Why on earth does my local BC library have a copy of an exhibition catalogue from the Royal Ontario Museum about French couture master, Christian Dior? Who knows, but I am super glad that they do!!! Dior is one of my all time favourite designers, and one of my favourite fashion houses, and I am glad that the ROM curated what was presumably an excellent exhibition on the designer and produced a world-class catalogue to accompany it. Alexandra Palmer’s exposition on the history of the House of Dior, his place in the timeline of French fashion and couture, and on his influence on the fashion adjacent fields was bar none one of the best I have ever read. Her language was perfectly suited to a general audience, but contained the lovely linguistic flourishes dictated by any legitimate discussion of French couture - albeit with a reasonable amount of explanation for the fashion initiates, which was still much appreciated by those of us who still struggle with our (lack of) French. Taking us through all of the details behind the scenes of couture, she traces her way through the continual rising and dropping of hemlines, into the linings, and across the (distribution) world through an exploration grounded in the plethora of Christian Dior pieces in the ROM’s collection. Paired with a stunning range of even more carefully curated images of the costumes, original sketches, contemporary photographs, reimagined patterns, and more, we are treated to a moody but beautifully detailed story that showcases Christian Dior’s physical legacy at its best. Truely a behind the scenes glimpse, I don’t know if anyone besides a museum of calibre (such as this) or Dior Héritage themselves could have pulled off such a detailed and robust publication.
November 3, 2020
This book was everything I want in learning about Dior’s creations and written by one of the preeminent dress historians in the field today. I read it so slowly only so I might savor it longer. A must read for fashion history lovers, Dior fans, and lovers of clothing construction. Cannot recommend highly enough!
January 16, 2022
This book has tons of details on construction, technical diagrams, and even a few pattern cutting guides. It also has a lot of history and detail.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews