BIG in the ROM Costume and Textile Gallery

BIG at the ROM with John Galliano for Dior Spring/Summer 2011
Photo by Ingrid Mida 2012

This exquisite couture outfit by John Galliano for Dior from Spring/Summer 2011 is the centrepiece of the latest installation called BIG which will open at the Royal Ontario Museum's Patricia Harris Textile Gallery of Textiles and Costume on November 3, 2012.

My Picks from Paris Fall 2011 Couture

Valentino Fall 2011 Couture
Photo by Yannix Vlamos

I love how the world of fashion is now just a click away. With a myriad of deadlines all coming to a head last week, reviewing the Paris Fall 2011 Couture collections has been on my to-do list for two weeks now. Maybe someday I'll actually get to see it in person, but being able to click back and forth between the shows makes it relatively easy to see the common threads. 

The Paris Fall 2011 Couture collections were defined by extreme embroidery, feathers, ruching, and shredded effects. In the past, Chanel and Dior have easily been among my top picks, but not this time. The matronly suits at Chanel and the chaotic circus-like outfits of Dior put them at the bottom of my list. 

My favourite looks from Paris Fall 2011 Couture all share two things in common - elegance and a flattering silhouette. If I could afford it, these are the looks that would find their way into my closet.

Jean Paul Gaultier Fall 2011 Couture
Photo by Yannis Vlamos

Jean Paul Gaultier Fall 2011 Couture
Photo by Yannis Vlamos

Valentino Fall 2011 Couture
Photo by Yannis Vlamos

In terms of artistry and innovation, the winner to me would be Givenchy. Riccardo Tisci showed a selection of sheer white gowns worn over body-suits and embellished with over-the-top embroidery and beading creating a beautiful type of armour. The woman is a beautiful, powerful and yet delicate creature. This is a modern vision of purity, elegance, romance and beauty.

Givenchy Fall 2011 Couture
Photo courtesy of Givenchy

Givenchy Fall 2011 Couture
Photo courtesy of Givenchy

Which is your favourite?

Notice of copyright: 
All text and images on this blog are the copyright of Ingrid Mida, unless otherwise noted. The copying of posts, images and/or text without proper attribution is violation of copyright and legal action will be pursued.

Dior Book Giveaway Winner Announced

Thank you to all who entered the draw to win an autographed copy of Dior: A New Look, A New Enterprise (1947-57) by Dr. Alexandra Palmer. How I wish I could offer each of my loyal followers a prize for your readership and support. If it is any consolation, the book is available on Amazon and Chapters-Indigo at a pre-publication sale price.

Congratulations goes to Allie at the blog History-Fiction Chick! Allie please email me at artismylife@mac.com to claim your prize.

Author Profile: Alexandra Palmer

Alexandra Palmer, the author of Dior: A New Look, A New Enterprise 1947-1957, is the Senior Curator of Costumes and Textiles at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto. Her research as a costume and textile historian focuses on the history of western textiles and fashionable dress with an emphasis on the 20th and 21st centuries.

Alexandra has a BA in Art History from the University of Toronto (1979), a MA in History of Costume and Textiles from NY University (1981) and a Phd in Design History from the University of Brighton, England (1995).

Dr. Palmer is the Clio award winning author of Couture and Commerce: The Transatlantic Fashion Trade in the 1950s (2001). As well, she authored Fashion: A Canadian Perspective (2004), Old Clothes, New Looks: Second Hand Fashion (2005) and contributed to numerous exhibition catalogues and books including:The Golden Age: Haute Couture 1947-1957, The Victoria & Albert Museum, London (2007), PaperClothes, Benaki Museum Athens (2007), Un Secolo di Moda (2004), Villa Medici, Rome.

This busy mother of two boys also is a professor of Fine Art History of University of Toronto, an adjunct professor for the Graduate Programme in Art History at York University and the exhibition editor for Fashion Theory: The Journal of Dress, Body and Culture.

Dr. Palmer is currently working on curating an exhibition at the Royal Ontario Museum planned for 2011 on Christian Dior.

I came to know Alexandra through my interest in the Patricia Harris Costume and Textiles Gallery at the Royal Ontario Museum. I was honoured that she asked me to read through the final drafts of the Dior book and called upon my previous experiences in finance, publishing and fashion to provide comments on the book. Alex agreed to be interviewed for this post and her responses are shown below in italics.


1. How does this book differ from the other books on Dior?
My book looks at the company from a global perspective and relies heavily on the Dior archives in Paris.

2. What was the biggest surprise or revelation that you uncovered during your research?
I was surprised at how smart Monsieur Dior was in terms of design and business.

3. During the book launch party, you mentioned that other fashion houses do not have archives like Dior. Why do you think Dior kept such meticulous records compared to other designers?
The records are not meticulous but are extensive. The house of Dior has never moved its location and it has always had large statistics and business offices and staffing.

4. How many years did you spend researching and writing the book?
It took four years to write the book, because of the research and my many other duties.

5. Where and when will the book be available?
It is for presently for sale in the ROM bookshop and can also be ordered from Amazon, Indigo and the Victoria and Albert Museum website.

6. What is your favourite Dior ensemble or dress?
I cannot say that I have a favourite. All of Dior's creations are interesting for different reasons.

7. You mentioned coveting a Dior record case during the book launch. If you could have one Dior item for the ROM collection, what would it be?
I would love to have a wool late day or cocktail piece with brilliant cutting.

8. Will the book be translated into any other languages?
It may be translated into Spanish. I'm not really sure at this point.


Leave a comment if you wish to be entered in the draw for a copy of Alexandra Palmer's book on Dior. The winner will be announced on Tuesday, November 10, 2009.

Dior Book Giveaway

What the book is About:

In spite of having no formal training in art or fashion design, Christian Dior became a revolutionary force in fashion almost immediately after opening his salon on February 12, 1947. Time magazine said "Never in the history of fashion had a single designer made such a revolution in his first showing". During the span of only ten years 1947-1957, Christian Dior created a profitable brand that still exerts its influence today. Although there are many books covering the work of Dior, none have really addressed the reasons behind the success of this global powerhouse in fashion.

In Dior, A New Look, A New Enterprise (1947-1957), Alexandra Palmer takes a detailed look at what it was "about the man, the business and the designs that made the name of Christian Dior the singularly best known of all his gifted contemporary couturiers" (page 6).

Although much has been written about Dior, Palmer's book is based on original research through the Dior archives in Paris and is richly illustrated with photographs, sketches, and fascinating tabulations, such as sales statistics by country and the best-selling Dior garments (the "Fords" of the collections).

The book consists of seven parts:

1. Introduction

2. The Early Years

3. A New House, A New Femininity

4. Couture Piracy, Protection and Litigation

5. The Christian Dior Boutique

6. Global Expansion and Licenses

7. The Celebrity Couturier, Diplomat and Artbiter of Taste

Title: Dior, A New Look, A New Enterprise (1947-57)

Author: Alexandra Palmer

Published by: V&A Publishing, 2009

Number of Pages: 128

Price: 19.99 English Pounds, $38 Canadian, US $20 prepublication sale price on Amazon

If you would like to win an autographed copy of this book, please leave a comment. If you would like two chances to win the book, please sign up as a follower and/or post a giveaway button on your blog. I will select a winner after my next post about the book which will be a brief interview with the author.

Dior Book Launch Party at the ROM

Terry Benoit and Dr. Alexandra Palmer at the ROM Book Launch Party on October 30, 2009

Photo by Ingrid Mida

The launch party for Dr. Alexandra Palmer's new book on Dior was a hot ticket at the Royal Ontario Museum on Friday evening. I was stationed at the door to welcome guests and check their names on the list (someone described me as "the Rottweiler by the door"!) Attended by about 100 of Toronto's fashion scholars, followers and press, Dr. Palmer gave a presentation about Dior and also autographed copies of her book.

I snapped this photo of Terry Benoit, fellow blogger and all-round nice guy, with Dr. Palmer and her book but sadly forgot to ask for a photo myself!! Terry loaned several Dior items from his vintage collection to Dr. Palmer.

Having read and commented on a draft copy of the book for Dr. Palmer in advance of publication, I won't be writing a formal book review on my blog, but will be featuring the book in the coming weeks. I also have an autographed copy of the book for a give-away! Stay tuned.

Title: Dior

Author: Dr. Alexandra Palmer

Published by: V&A Publishing, London 2009

Number of Pages: 128 (softcover)

Flowers and Plumes at Atelier Bruno Legeron

Photo by Ingrid Mida, 2009

While some people might argue that haute couture is an unnecessary luxury in this tough economic climate, there are many artisans who make their living working behind the scenes to bring a couture collection to life. This includes ateliers like Bruno Legeron who make silk flowers and plumes for such couture houses as Dior, Givenchy, and Chanel.

While in Paris, I visited the atelier of Bruno Legeron, who is one of three flower and plume makers left in France. When his grandfather purchased the atelier many years ago, there were several hundred ateliers making flowers and plumes. Twenty years ago, there were about 30 ateliers.

The charming Monsieur Legeron walked through all the steps in crafting a silk flower by hand. Each petal and leaf is cut from silk, hand-dyed, and crafted into a flower. The number of petals and leaves depends on the type of flower. Monsieur Legeron spoke so lovingly and passionately about the process of creation, that it was an incredible gift to watch him bring a piece of fabric to life.

Photo by Ingrid Mida 2009

Monsieur Legeron said that he was too busy creating flowers and plumes to have married and has no heir to pass the business on to. One can only hope that he can endure the recession and that one of his talented workers will someday be able to take over the business of creating beauty!

Photo by Ingrid Mida 2009

Bruno Legeron
20 rue des Petits Champs
Paris 75002

P.S. Elena at the lovely blog Tea at Trianon has written about my fashion plates today. I created three new plates using 18th century hats for her post.

Musee Christian Dior: Les Annees Bohan

Marc Bohan for Christian Dior Pink Dress, Sketch by Ingrid Mida, copyright 2009

Marc Bohan designed for the house of Dior for nearly thirty years. Bohan began as an assistant at Dior in 1946 and later ran the London England branch of the house. After Yves Saint Laurent was dismissed from Dior in 1961, Marc Bohan took over the duties as designer. Bohan's collections for Dior were known for their quiet elegance and dedication to the ideal of "la beaute des femmes".

In May 1989, Bohan was replaced at Dior by Gianfranco Ferre and went on to become the fashion director of Norman Hartnell from 1990-1992. After that, he designed only under his own label. Monsieur Bohan graciously wrote a preface to the exhibition pamphlet in which he said (if my translation is correct) "my only ambition was always to justify the confidence credited to me".

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, Musee Christian Dior in Granville, France is exhibiting a retrospective of Bohan's work for Dior called "Dior, Les Annees Bohan 1961-1989". Encompassing three floors of Christian Dior's childhood home, the exhibition is packed with beautiful gowns (including a number worn by Princess Grace of Monaco), pantsuits, coats and accessories,

Floorplan of the exhibition

Unfortunately, there was no exhibition catalogue and photos were not allowed. However, I managed to make one mad sketch of my favourite Bohan for Dior dress which I think was in the room of gowns worn by Princess Caroline of Monaco. This hot pink number sang to me and I think its timeless elegance would make it wearable even today!

This exhibition will continue to September 20, 2009.

Musee Christian Dior
50400 Granville, France
02.33.61.48.21
www.musee-dior-granville.com

Musee Christian Dior in Granville, France

Photo credit: Ingrid Mida, copyright 2009

As a tribute to Father's Day, I thought I'd share my photos from Christian Dior's rose garden in Granville, France. My father was a devoted gardener and the vision of his pretty little rose garden will always be with me. (Sadly, I did not inherit my father's green thumb!)

Christian Dior's home, which is perched on the cliffs overlooking the ocean, is now a museum (and one of the museums on my bucket list). Each summer, the museum hosts an exhibition and this year, Marc Bohan's thirty years of designs for the house of Dior are chronicled. (Sorry, no photos were allowed inside.)


The grounds were stunningly beautiful and included several lovely garden rooms, filled with the heady scent of roses. If you ever have the opportunity to visit Granville, you'll understand why Christian Dior made the long trek from Paris back to his boyhood home as often as his schedule allowed. Dior's rose garden is what I imagine heaven is like.

Photo credit: Ingrid Mida, copyright 2009

Dior on Lace

Today on my book blog, Blog of a Bookworm, I reviewed The Little Dictionary of Fashion written by Christian Dior and first published in 1954.

This is what Dior wrote about lace:

"Originally beautiful and expensive handwork, now machinery has made it possible for every woman to have it. I love lace for evening dresses...for a cocktail frock...or for a blouse. I am not so keen on it for trimmings -- it easily looks old fashioned. A little lace collar can look charming on a black frock but it must be chosen with discretion -- you don't want to look like Little Lord Fauntleroy! Under a black suit or with a full skirt for parties, a lace blouse can look charming. But being a rich and elaborate material it should only be used for very simple styles. When a fabric is fancy in itself it needs simplicity of design to show it to its best advantage. It is the same with an evening dress -- choose a style of great simplicity; no complicated drapes or complicated cutting." (page 71)

Book Review: The Little Dictionary of Fashion by Christian Dior

Title: The Little Dictionary of Fashion, A guide to dress sense for every woman
Author: Christian Dior
Category: Non-ficiton, fashion
Publisher: Abrams, New York, 2007 (First published in 1954 by Cassell & Co)
Price: US$19.95, Canada $21.95 (hardcover)
Number of Pages: 126


What it is about:
Christian Dior was not only a leading couturier, he was also a writer. He wrote several books, including this one. In his introduction, he says "Much has been written about Fashion, in all its aspects, but I do not think any couturier has ever before attempted to compile a dictionary on the subject".

In The Little Dictionary of Fashion, Dior compiles an alphabetical guide/dictionary to dressing with style and elegance. Beginning with "Accent" (that little personal touch which makes a dress your own dress) and ending with "Zest" (that is the secret of beauty and fashion, too), the book includes tips on style.

Dior wrote the book so that it would be "possible for a woman to be elegant without spending very much money on her clothes, if she follows the basic rules of Fashion and is careful to choose the clothes that suit her personality. Simplicity, good taste, and grooming are the three fundamentals of good dressing and these do not cost money."

Why I Chose this book:
After hearing Dr. Alexandra Palmer (Senior Curator of Fashion and Textiles at the Royal Ontario Museum) talk about her upcoming book on Dior, I decided to read everything I could about this leading couturier.

My Favourite Passage:
"Elegance: This is a word that would need a book to give it is right definition! I will only say now that elegance must be the right combination of distinction, naturalness, care, and simplicity. Outside this, believe me, there is no elegance. Only pretension.
Elegance is not dependent on money. Of the four things I have mentioned above, the most important of all is care. Care in choosing your clothes. Care in wearing them. Care in keeping them." (page 37)

Rating:
This is an amusing book for a serious fashion history buff like me. Although I was charmed, I would guess that most people would find this book out of date and somewhat dull.

Dior

This gorgeous red gown (I love red!!!) is one of several Dior gowns in the Royal Ontario Museum collection. Dr. Alexandra Palmer, Senior Curator of the ROM's Textiles and Costumes, is currently writing a book on Dior which will be published under the V&A label in October 2009.

Recently, I had the privilege of listening to Dr. Palmer talk about her research for the book which covers the post-war period until his death 1947-1957. She alluded to the possibility of a Dior exhibition at the Royal Ontario Museum in the future. (Wouldn't that be divine?) With 35 pieces in the ROM collection storage facilities, they probably could put together a fine show with what they already have. Nevertheless Dr. Palmer said they were happy to accept donations of Dior, if anyone has any at the back of their closet.

I am currently reading three books on Dior including:
"The Little Dictionary of Fashion" by Christian Dior (Abrams 1954)
"Dior on Dior" by Christian Dior (1957)
"Christian Dior" by Farid Chenoune and Laziz Hamani (Assouline 2007)

I cannot get enough Dior and look forward to Dr. Palmer's book which is based on "new research" and is "absorbing and beautifully illustrated".

Painting as a Fashion Motif

Whether fashion can be considered to be a work of art in and of itself is an ongoing debate among art curators and fashion historians. But it cannot be disputed that Yves Saint Laurent was the first fashion designer to use a painting as a direct source of inspiration for his collections and as a fashion motif.

In 1965, YSL created the "Mondrian" dress which applied the simplified colour blocks seen in the work of the artist Piet Mondrian to a sleeveless jersey knit tunic dress. This deceptively simple design with the graphic blocks of white, yellow, red, blue and black from Mondrian's paintings was considered a masterpiece of construction.

This reference to art in YSL designs was followed up with the "Pop Art Look" in the following year and hand-beaded Van Gogh iris jackets in the 1980s.

Since that first Mondrian dress, many other designers have referenced art in their designs. This past season alone there were countless designers who did os, including John Galliano for Dior Haute Couture (Hand-painted and embroidered dress after Gustav Klimt's Adele Block-Bauer portrait), Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton (Sheer dress and slipdress after Richard Prince's Man Crazy Nurse #3), and Armani (Silk-organza petal dress with jewel brooch after Degas Dancers).

BREAKING NEWS: The Death of Yves St. Laurent

Earlier this evening, the legendary fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent died at age 71 after a long illness.

This talented but fragile fashion giant was known for revolutionizing the way women dress. He introduced the Mondrian dress in 1965, the smoking tuxedo in 1966, the safari look in 1968 and the classic trouser suit in 1978. He once said that he felt "fashion was not only supposed to make women beautiful, but to reassure them, to give them confidence, to allow them to come to terms with themselves."

Yves Saint Laurent was born on August 1, 1936 in Algeria and attended only three months of fashion training at the Chambre Syndicale before being hired on the spot by Christian Dior at age 17. At the tender age of 21, Yves was named head designer of the House of Dior following Dior's untimely death. The trapeze line, YSL's first collection for Dior in 1957, was heralded as a huge success. The next few years were also acclaimed but in 1960, he introduced street wear into couture and YSL was fired. He was then drafted into military service and was left in a fragile state. In 1962, he opened his own house with his partner Pierre Berge. Life Magazine declared his first line under his own label as "the best collection of suits since Chanel". YSL retired at age 65 in 2002. Time after time in his forty-five years as a fashion designer, his collections revolutionized fashion.

"His gift to fashion was that he empowered women after Chanel had freed them."
Pierre Berge, partner to Yves Saint Laurent