"In 1947, my first collection was successful beyond my wildest
dreams." - Christian Dior
On February 12, 1947, precisely sixty-four years ago today, a
humble man by the name of Christian Dior catapulted to international stardom
with the launch of his debut haute couture collection. Immediately upon its
reveal at Dior's studio, originally titled "Corolle", fashion critic and
Harper's Bazaar editor-in-chief Carmel Snow exclaimed, "It's quite a
revelation, dear Christian. Your dresses have such a new look!". Unbeknownst
to her that moment, from merely uttering a sentence of gracious praise, Ms. Snow
was to coin perhaps the most iconic debut collection of all time.
The Tailleur
Bar ensemble & its respective sketch by Dior
In a firm response to the imposed fabric
restrictions during World War II, Dior would zealously craft his revolutionary
designs utilizing countless yards of extravagant materials. Inspired by his
nostalgic emotions towards the Belle Époque fashions of the late 1800's
to the first World War, Christian Dior's designs restored ultra femininity to
both the fashion industry and women worldwide. Featuring a cinched waist,
accentuated bust, and full-length pleated skirt, Dior's opulent New Look
introduced his legendary "Tailleur Bar" ensemble (or simply the "Bar Suit").
With a dominance of boxy shapes popularized by houses such as Chanel and Lanvin
in the 20's and 30's, Christian Dior's New Look would soon take the world by
storm and begin the history of contemporary fashion.
On this day in
1947, Monsieur Christian Dior introduced an ultra-feminine silhouette which
would ignite a global fashion revolution, restore Paris as the pinnacle of haute
couture, and launch the legendary empire of Dior.
Joyeux Anniversaire, New Look :)