The Christian Dior Haute Couture Autumn Winter 2009/2010 Collection - Runway Show

After getting a hold of these photos of the recent Christian Dior show in Paris, we did a little researching into the history of Dior and thought we would post a brief sort of outline of how the line go to be where it is today.

Oddly enough, Dior did get his start in fashion design at all. In fact he got his start at an art gallery he opens himself, thanks to the financial backing of his father  in 1928– A backing that was given to Dior on the condition that the family name not be associated with the gallery in any way.

In 1939, at the start of World War II, Dior served as an officer or a brief year until the surrender of France. He was offered a job by Paris couturier Lucien Lelong who at that point was working on stimulating a then flailing German Couture trade.  The remainder of the war saw Dior dressing the wives of Nazi officers and French collaborators.

Dior was invited by a childhood friend to work at Philippe et Gaston, a clothing company struggling in the post-war France owned by Marcel Boussac (the “King of Cotton” with an empire of racing stables, newspapers and textile mills.).  Boussac was in intrigued not only by Dior’s theory that the public was ready for new style in the post war era, but also of the large quantities of fabric he would sell thanks to the luxurious silhouette and billowing skirts in Dior’s imagination. 

The original house of Dior was operated by a mere 85 persons from a modest mansion at 30 Avenue Montaigne and decorated in Dior’s favorite colors of white and grey.

Dior’s collection was the anti-thesis to what was happening fashion wise for women.   Luxurious clothes with soft shoulders, nipped in waists and flowing skirts were a strong contrast to the sharp-shouldered suits with knee-length skirts or war time – representations of the years of viciousness and adversity suffered during the war. The new ultra feminine look also, however inadvertently served the political agenda of governments around the world.

From the Design Museum Website:

“Such a traditional concept of femininity also suited the political agenda. Women had been mobilized during the war to work on farms and in factories while the men were away fighting. In peacetime those women were expected to return to passive roles as housewives and mothers, leaving their jobs free for the returning soldiers. The official paradigm of post-war womanhood was a capable, caring housewife who created a happy home for her husband and children. Dior’s “flower women” fitted the bill perfectly.”

Regardless of its interpretations, the house became hailed around the world as the leader of couture fashion from the post war era and right through the 50’s until he died in 1957.

From Wikipedia:

“The death of the head designer left the House of Dior in chaos and shutting down worldwide operations was placed into consideration by Jacques Rouët (general manager). This possibility was not received graciously by Dior licensees and the French fashion industry. The Maison Dior was too much of an importance to the financial stability of the industry to even allow such an action. To bring the label back on its feet, Rouët promoted the 21 year-old Yves Saint Laurent as Artistic Director that very same year.  Laurent had joined the House's family in 1955 after being picked out by the original designer himself for the position of the first ever and only Head Assistant. Laurent initially proved to have been the most appropriate choice after the debut of his first collection for Dior (The mention of Dior from this moment on refers to the company) in 1958.The clothes were as meticulously made and perfectly proportioned as Dior’s in the same exquisite fabrics, but their young designer made them softer, lighter and easier to wear. Saint Laurent was hailed as a national hero.”