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FRENCH LESSONS EVENTS & GIFTS

Christian Dior

September 25, 2017  /  Katrina Waugh

Christian Dior

As many of you may know, we are taking a group of students and friends down to Melbourne to see the Christian Dior exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria soon, with the lovely and talented Paul Hunt as our chaperon*. 

In celebration of the seventieth anniversary of the House of Dior, the exhibition is organised by theme, and includes a sumptuous display of more than 140 créations* designed by Christian Dior Couture between 1947 and 2017.

Part of the reason for my interest in this exhibition is that this year I have watched two or three documentaries on Christian Dior and his famous maison de couture*. As often happens, someone recommended a doco to me, I watched it and then off down the rabbit hole of haute couture* I went. I wouldn't rate fashion as one of my passions (though I've always had an interest in it) but these documentaries really got me in. The creativity, the craftsmanship and the sheer beauty of the creations are really worthy of marvel and an absolute visual delight.

I started with 'Dior and I', which documents the arrival of Raf Simons as the new Creative Director of the house. Measured and modest, does Raf have what it takes to modernise the brand? If all it took were creativity, Raf would be a shoo-in (see his transformation of a somewhat bland exhibition space into a floral explosion for proof). However, as we learn, politics, egos, tempers and commerce all have a hand to play.

Next, I moved onto Inside Dior, which charts the arrival of Dior's first ever female Creative Director, Maria Grazia Chiuri. I cannot for the life of me work out how I managed to watch it as I can only find la bande annonce* now, but I believe it is available on Foxtel.

Then, thoroughly intrigued, I travelled back in time to see where it all started. Christian Dior: The Man Behind the Myth an English-language documentary that lifts the veil on Dior's upbringing and his unlikely rise to “director of dreams for high society”.

I hope you enjoy this most beautiful journey dans le terrier du lapin* as much as I did.

 

*chaperone | *creations | *fashion house | *high fashion | *the trailer | *down the rabbit hole