30 Avenue Montaigne, Christian Dior’s atelier in Paris, opened its doors on 16th December 1946. His staff had just six weeks to get it ready for their first show on February 12th, 1947 - the landmark post-war collection that became known as ‘the New Look’.

Bettina Ballard, fashion editor of Vogue, wrote: “Never has there been a moment more climatically right for a Napoleon, an Alexander the Great, a Caesar of the couture. Paris fashion was waiting to be seized and shaken and given direction. There has never been an easier or more complete conquest than that of Christian Dior in 1947." 

In this episode, Arion, Rebecca and Olly unpick Dior’s business decisions; explain how a connection with the British Royal family was cultivated and exploited to promote his nascent brand; and consider why he became known as ‘the tyrant of hemlines’... 

Further Reading:

• ‘Christian Dior: The New Look’ (The Metrolpolitan Museum of Art): https://artsandculture.google.com/story/kwWhkHJ-Ok8UIg?hl=en

• ‘Christian Dior - The Man who Made the World Look New, By Marie France Pochna’ (Arcade Publishing, 1996): https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Christian_Dior/ffkK4dy00SoC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=30+Avenue+Montaigne&pg=PA113&printsec=frontcover

• ‘“Haute-Couture”: The world of Monsieur Dior in his own words’ (Dir. Henri A. Lavorel, 1949): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZESWE3myVLk

#40s #Fashion #LGBT #France

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The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.

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