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| from Dior Haute Couture 2012 |
Elegance must be the right combination of distinction, naturalness, care and simplicity (Christian Dior). The House of Dior, a huge player in French artistry, fashion, and history, releases its looks for the Spring/Summer 2012 Haute Couture show. The ensembles are a far cry from last year’s avant-garde show. This year’s designs focused more on bringing back the history of Dior, channeling Dior’s classic “wasp-waist” silhouette, with a twist of modern French style.
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| looks from Dior Haute Couture 2011 |
Despite the tumultuous times the House of Dior has faced in recent years: losing its figure head, and going through 4 creative directors, including Yves Saint-Laurent and John Galliano, the House of Dior continues to cultivate the tradition of the already rich history it has created. This year’s Haute Couture show features a return to the classic Dior ideal of elegance, opulence, beautiful fabrics, flowing skirts, and a great aesthetic, featuring sheer looks in hand-embroidered organza.
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| from Dior Haute Couture 2012 |
Through the Art Deco period of the late 40’s and much of the 50’s, Christian Dior stood atop the ranks of fashion. He put French couture back on the map with his “New Look” and the opulent silhouette he created.
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| Dior's post-WWII "New Look" 1947 |
Dior emerged as a fashion house towards the end of WWII. Before establishing himself as his own label, Christian Dior made his living dressing Nazi wives and the wives of French collaborators. War consumed most of Europe, and the continent was under the rule of rationing. Rationing influenced the fashion of the time as fabric was in short supply and in high demand. Women adapted by wearing shorter skirts and outfits with simpler silhouettes. The tone of fashion was utility and simplicity until the change brought about by Dior. Dior spearheaded the movement of fashion towards beauty by the incredible amounts of fabric used to create his looks, and the extravagant final ensembles he produced.
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| Dior at work on the "New Look" |
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| Dior Haute Salon, 1957 |
In contrast to the attitude of rationing and shortage, Dior proposed a richer look where fabric was in abundance and the woman who wore it would exude a sense of elegance and grace unattainable by the mainstream fashion of the time. Dior created a new wave of femininity defined by fine-looking fabrics and longer skirts reminiscent of a time before the ravages of war had eaten away at the beauty in France and the rest of Europe.
The ups and downs of last year have made the House of Dior a dark horse in the fashion world, but this year the historic French fashion house looks to be re-instating its position in fashion as not just an iconic name, but as a force to be reckoned with.
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