Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams

Article on the Exhibition entitled Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams that was staged at the Victoria & Albert Museum, London. It had previously opened in Paris but the London exhibition revealed that Christian Dior was an Anglophile and inspired by English design and lifestyle.The British curating differs from the French by showing around 50% new exhibits and adding a focus on Dior’s adoration for anything British. Oriole Cullen, Curator of Modern Textiles and Fashion at the V&A gives an insight into Christian Dior’s particular obsession with British culture - royalty, aristocracy and especially the stately homes with their grand architecture and gardens. The V&A exhibition designed by Nathalie Crinière has eleven theatrical sections that visually communicate the history of the couture house from 1947 to the present day. These include ‘Dior in Britain’ that demonstrates his penchant for British manufacturers, especially for knitwear and accessories. This exhibition displays the far-reach and enduring legacy of haute couture that has, at its essence, a conceptual underpinning and an opportunity to dream. Also shown is a more grounded look with ready-to-wear luxe. The House of Dior and its long line of artistic directors perpetuates traditions and artisanal skills, imparting longevity to fashion, a phenomenon typically steeped in the ephemeral