Research - Christian Dior

Today I have research fashion designer Christian Dior. I mainly looked at his designs and which fabrics he used to see which fabrics I want to use for my designs for my set project. There is so much to find about Dior but I have chosen to focus on the fabrics. 

Christian Dior (1905) born in France was an inspiring and influential French fashion designer. He left school in 1928 to start a small art gallery. Unfortunately the gallery had to be closed after the death of his mother and brother. After this he worked with fashion designer Robert Piquet and later on he was called up to serve the military. He was always interested in architecture and those desires and instincts he incorporate this into his designs.

When he worked with Robert Piquet,  he learned the art of simplification and omission, which would later make his own collections famous. In contrast to the usual silhouette, which emphasized a strict femininity with straight lines, Dior designed evening dresses with a narrow waist and wide skirt.

He joined the fashion house in 1942 where he worked together with Pierre Balmain who was also a famous fashion designer. In 1946 he founded his fashion house. Creating a part of a garment in the 19th century was really expensive because of the textiles, therefore he offered two piece dresses for many occasions. Women were able to hide their arms during the day but reveal them in the evening. 

The most common fabrics Dior used in his collections were cotton, wool and silk, these are sustainable fabrics. He also used polyester. He used boned corsets, sloping shoulders, hip pads, and built in petticoats that made his dresses flared out from the waist. The last one I also would like to use for my designs. His vision behind his creations were based on three rules: good taste, grooming and simplicity. He sensed what women wanted and planned based on his surroundings. He created simple pieces that were classic and timeless, so no matter what year you are in, they are always trendy.

Bar suit, 1947

The bar suit is one of the most referenced pieces of fashion.  Padded at the hipline for a more rounded, feminine form, lined with silk, this dress is made with four yards of soft ivory silk shantung. Cotton wool pads

Christian Dior, Haute Couture, SS14, Paris.

In this collection he used sheer fabrics with cut outs. Often layered over tiny flower shaped sequins. He was a master at creating silhouettes and shapes.

The common fabrics that I will be using are cotton, polyester and possibly nylon.

Reference

Encyclopedia Britannica. 2021. Christian Dior | French designer. [online] Available at: <https://www.britannica.com/biography/Christian-Dior-French-designer#:~:text=Christian%20Dior%2C%20(born%20January%2021,decade%20following%20World%20War%20II.> [Accessed 28 February 2021].

Ciarallo, C. and Ciarallo, C., 2018. How Christian Dior's Collections Embodies 5 Elements of Fashion Sustainability - Eco Warrior Princess. [online] Eco Warrior Princess. Available at: <https://ecowarriorprincess.net/2018/03/how-christian-diors-collections-embodies-5-elements-of-fashion-sustainability-2/#:~:text=The%20most%20common%20fibres%20Dior,friendly%20fabrics%20to%20learn%20more).> [Accessed 28 February 2021].

British Vogue. 2012. Christian Dior. [online] Available at: <https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/christian-dior#:~:text=Christian%20Dior%20was%20a%20French,was%20one%20of%20five%20children.> [Accessed 28 February 2021].

The Cutting Class. 2014. Ethereal Fabrics at Dior Couture. [online] Available at: <https://www.thecuttingclass.com/ethereal-fabrics-at-dior-couture/> [Accessed 28 February 2021].

Cardini, T., 2020. Dior’s Bar Jacket: A Brief History. [online] Vogue. Available at: <https://www.vogue.com/article/christian-dior-bar-jacket-a-brief-history#:~:text=We%20were%20witness%20to%20a%20revolution%20in%20fashion.%E2%80%9D&text=The%20Bar%20suit%20was%20an,a%20more%20rounded%2C%20feminine%20shape.> [Accessed 28 February 2021].