CHRISTIAN DIOR

Born in Granville in 1905, he remains in the universal memory as one of the most important designers in the panorama of French haute couture. Christian Dior links his name to the New Look, which on February 12, 1947, during his first fashion show, made him famous in the space of a single day. In times of post-war austerity, this new style attracted women to the nostalgic femininity of corsets and softly falling skirts. Dior himself recalls his debut fashion show with the words: “I created flower women with gentle shoulders and generous breasts, with waists as thin as stems and skirts that open into bells like petals.” In 1946, with the financial help of Boussac, Dior opened his fashion house in the building on Avenue Montaigne, a place with a charming atmosphere where twice a year dresses were released that were up to 40 meters long and weighed up to 4 kilograms. The Trapezio collection from 1958 bears the signature of Yves Saint Laurent, Dior’s assistant and heir to his style, who opened his own fashion house in 1962. For footwear, the maison’s collaboration from 1953 to 1963 with the French designer Roger Vivier was fundamental, some examples of which are exhibited in the museum.