Dior: The New Look
As one of the most influential fashion designers of the twentieth century, Christian Dior revolutionized the fashion industry in 1947 with his first collection: the New Look. His designs expressed nostalgia, fantasy, opulence, and femininity, creating an idealized image of womanhood that dominated fashion throughout the 1950s. The exhibition, Dior: The New Look, explores why the collection was so important to fashion and society, focusing on postwar America, its Chicago connection, and the women who loved this feminine style, as well as those who opposed it.
On February 12, 1947, Christian Dior presented his collection to the public, and fashion mavens immediately predicted it would put Paris back on the map as the capital of fashion. The success of the New Look led to the opening of Christian Dior New York, making Christian Dior the first European designer with a ready-to-wear salon in the United States. By 1957, Dior products were available in 15 countries and Dior himself was featured on the cover of TIME Magazine.
The exhibition allows for each of the ensembles to tell a story. Many of these pieces were altered after their original creation, and these changes are highlighted so the visitors can see how clothing sometimes changes to follow the latest trends or due to a new owner. Also featured are specially designed undergarments that were created to mold and shape the female form into Dior’s New Look silhouette of cinched waists and exaggerated hips.
Chicago was vital to Dior’s success in the United States, establishing relationships with large department stores such as Marshall Field & Co., which helped make his fashions affordable to a wider audience. Dior once stated, “In spite of its sinister reputation, Chicago is one of the most poetic cities in the world.” The exhibition explores some of the Chicago women who were Dior’s best clients.
The exhibition closes with “The Little Below the Knee Club.” This group of women rejected the New Look, declaring that it was a drastic blow to women’s emancipation. Despite these protesters, the look remained successful and is still evident in many fashion styles today.
This gallery was made possible through the support and generous contribution of the Costume Council of the Chicago Historical Society and Mr. and Mrs. James M. McMullan.
. Everyone was taking pictures, and he was so nice about it.
, but I did take pictures of the dresses and Mr. Dior's designs.
sounds exciting, share if you can 
