Opening this weekend in Toronto at the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is the ‘Christian Dior Exhibition‘ and this Vintage Gal is biting at the bit to see it. I know it’s going to be an incredible exhibit with some of the most stunning dresses in the world.
Why Dior? Vintage Dior is dreamy and of course historical because Christian Dior was the one who broke the wartime rigid mold of women’s fashion (mostly due to the rationing of fabric) and created the “New Look” in 1947. This look was filled with tight-fitting jackets with padded hips, petite waists, A-line skirts, and lots of use of fabric (as seen below). Quite a change from the previous decades of fashion and this look (plus extensions of this style) would go on to dominate the fashion world for several years.
“It’s quite a revolution, dear Christian! Your dresses have such a new look!” Carmel Snow, the former editor-in-chief of the American edition of “Harper’s Bazaar,” said these words after Dior’s debut fashion show in Paris, on February 12, 1947
(Source)
For today’s post I want to take a walk down memory lane of some of the most beautiful vintage dresses the house of Dior created between 1947-1957. Additionally, I have also included a video of a fashion show, vintage ads/covers and even dresses you can buy today (if you have the money).
The Fashions of Christian Dior 1947-1957
Examples of Dior Dresses in Vintage Ads, Images & Museums
“Cherie” (Spring/Summer 1947) exemplifies the “New Look” in all its salient elements: sloped shoulder, raised bustline, narrowed waist, and a monumental volume of skirt falling away from a padded hip line to below the calf (Source).
One of the biggest fans of the Dior New Look was Princess Margaret, seen below in the 1950s in a stunning dress (lots of fabric used in this dress).
Christian Dior 1947 Rose France Strapless Evening Gown fashion illustration.
Source: Pinterest
1949-1950 Dior Evening Gown.
Jean Patchett modeling a Dior Sarong style evening gown, 1951.
Cygne Noir Dress 1949-50 from the Victoria and Albert Museum.
Christian Dior with model Dorothy Emms reviewing one of his evening gown creations, 1952.
This image of a model wearing a gray Dior suit outside the Louvre Metro station was photographed by Mark Shaw in Paris in 1957 for LIFE magazine.
Christian Dior with models in his 1950s evening gowns.
UK Vogue 1953 Magazine Advertisement for a Dior evening gown sold at Harrods London.
1952 Vintage Dior Ad for couture dresses. What a stunning Dior Dress on our lovely model!
Vintage Dior Dresses
(updated June 2024)
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Christian Dior Haute Couture dress from Fall 1957 was given the name “Venezuela” by the designer and is crafted from an olive green silk. The dress has substantial weight and features a divinely draped bodice and a very full skirt.
Source: Etsy-vintagevonwerth
1954 Christian Dior Haute Couture ‘Lily of the Valley’ satin evening dress suit.
ABOUT THE DRESS: This line was called “Lily of the Valley” and placed a new emphasis on organic construction (the princess lines). The width of the bust evolves out of the stem of the waist which is anchored in the ground (hips and peplum). In comparison with other examples from this line, this piece was a pre-cursor of the H line which was shown in the fall / winter of 1954.
In the H line, the whole torso was outlined (the fitted jacket without a line cutting the waist) and was then mounted onto the flared full skirt. This was perceived at that time as youthful.
It was also expensive to mount a new line and the clients paid so much per piece for their acquisitions, changes were usually slow and incremental although the fashion press needed to accentuate any innovation, often out of all proportion to reality, to justify their existence.
Although the New Look was already 7 years old, its silhouette was still dominant. Dior was the most important house in Paris (in economic terms) at this time with everyone watching his line for leadership. However, experts could detect differences which were carefully monitored (Source).
Source: 1stDibs.com
1950s Christian Dior New York black faille dress. A stunning dress, iconic and distinctly Dior!
Source: Etsy
Christian Dior vintage 1950’s red rose removable capelet dress (avail as of Jan 25th, 2020).
Source: Etsy
Vintage 1950’s Couture Christian Dior Dress & Jacket. Made in the most sumptuous twill silk, in a bold mustard yellow floral pattern on an near white background, a rare addition to your vintage wardrobe.
Source: Etsy
Christian Dior Demi Couture Gold Silk Evening Dress With Detachable Shawl, 1950s.
Source: Etsy
Vintage Wedding Dress Alert (stand out on your wedding day)! Vintage Christian Dior 1950’s Wedding Dress, Silk Brocade with full skirt.
Source: Etsy
Couture Dior 1950s Silk Taffeta and Lace Ballgown.
More vintage Dior dresses…..
1950s Christian Dior Dress / 50s Navy Blue Lace New look Dress.
This is an incredible numbered Christian Dior from the 1950s.
Christian Dior 1956 haute couture numbered off white silk Femme Fleur look ball gown Wedding Made in France. Here is the dress and the image from a promotional ad (I love when you find the matching original image).
1950s Christian Dior Haute Couture Dress – 1959.
This is a rare Christian Dior Haute Couture dress by Yves Saint Laurent dating from automne-hiver 1959. While the silhouette is that of a simple cocktail dress, the construction and intricate pleating are impressively elaborate.
Source: Etsy
1950’s Christian Dior blue charcoal wool suit set (Avail as of April 2023).
The jacket bears the Colifichets label which is quite meaningful, as it indicates that the set was part of the collection sold in the Colifichet boutique at the the Galerie Dior couture house at 30 Avenue Montaigne, Paris, during the years that Christian Dior was alive and director of the house (source).
Read all about (and see the amazing images) of the Colifichets Boutique in Paris.
Source: Etsy – MoontideVintage
Dior on Video:
I also HIGHLY recommend checking out the movie “Mrs. Harris goes to Paris“. An enchanting tale of a seemingly ordinary British housekeeper whose dream to own a couture Christian Dior gown takes her on an extraordinary adventure to Paris. The movie was MAGICAL! I would watch it again and again. Here is the trailer….
I hope you enjoyed the beauty that is early Dior. I know I just loved putting this post together (gorgeous fashions).
Question Time: Do you have a favorite outfit featured above? If so share in the comments below!
FURTHER READING:
- Vintage Fashion Designers (Archived Blog Posts)
- Vintage Fashion 1920s-1960s (Archived Blog Posts)
Liz 🙂
Oh to be rich and be able to afford those gorgeous Dior dresses!!
I absolutely LOVE this post! I wish I could make it to the exhibit in Toronto! I’ll have to see if I know anyone with a vehicle who would be willing to go on a roadtrip with me…:)
RIGHT? Time to start playing the lottery lol.
I do hope you can make it! You have till march to find someone for a ride (fingers crossed it happens).
I’ve always loved the Cygne Noir Dress and have seen it in the V&A. It’s quite an amazingly structured dress. xx
I would love to see that dress in person. Sadly it won’t be at the exhibit in Toronto but I’m eager to see what beauties will be!
I’ll see if I can get to it. But I have to say, thank goodness they’re not in style now. They look painfully uncomfortable.
LOL I agree they are not as comfortable as our stretchy jeans for sure! But they are so much more pretty then stretchy jeans haha.
Gorgeous dresses. I do like a bit of Dior. This will be a fantastic exhibition to visit.
I can’t wait to see it! Going to be awesome 🙂
J’Adore Dior!! There is something so timeless about Dior. His looks were so elegant and very ladylike. I think that’s what made the New Look so appealing. Thank you for sharing. Happy New Year!
Debra
Stylewise by Debra
Oh I so agree!! Thanks for stopping by and enjoying Dior as much as I do 🙂
Liz
Found you by googling Dior. I am reading a mystery called “The Paris Secret” our 21st century fashion historian/preserver comes across a hidden stash of Dior dresses in cleaning out her great grand mother’s closet. Me, I threw out my girdle in 1970. ICU nursing & girdles don’t mix.
Ohh that book sounds good! And as for girdles, I don’t blame you for your job. I am into vintage dressing but I’m not that authentic. I like breathing easily lol!
Thanks for commenting 🙂
Liz
Saw where you went to a “Bomb Factory”. Netflix has/had a series filmed in Toronto called “Bomb Girls” . WW2 bomb factory. Wonder if is about the one you saw? “Paris Secrets” is also about WW2 England’s SOE, their women pilots, the French Resistance, Christian Dior’s sister Catherine (she was in the French Resistance & captured by the Nazis sent to a camp & survived!! Our fashion historian.preserver wears Dior’s “Bar Suit!
Found in that closet.
Yes,breathing easy is so much better. The only “wire” I wear in my underwire bras.
Bomb Girls Toronto show WAS MY FAVORITE! My Facebook memory today actually reminded me about season 2 several years ago that was about to show. Sigh. Loved that show. As for the Bomb Factory, it was not the same one (the one I visited was a gun manufacturer). That is supposed to be about the GECO Factory that was in Scarbourough (check out a great book called “Bomb Girls by Barbara Dickson” on first hand stories from the women who worked there).
WOW so cool about Dior (love Dior). I really want to check out Paris Secrets!
Thanks for dropping by!
Liz
Hi. David Barber Portsmouth UK. What FABULOUS fashions, so feminine, so elegant, as fashion SHOULD BE. I am 80 this year but I grew up through the late 1940s 1950s becoming 21 in 1965. I recall those wonderful feminine fashions very well, how a lady should look. Yes it was formal and strict, but it cannot be beaten, it is timeless. My dear late Sister had some lovely clothes, particularly a midnight blue strapless taffeta dress with a full skirt, she wore when she used to go out dancing with her friends at the long gone Savoy ballroom on Southsea sea front. She also had 2 lovely full circle black taffeta cocktail skirts, one had a deep waist band with a silk rose, the other was moire. They made the most lovely rustle sound as she moved. My dear late Mother was also a dab hand with the sewing machine, and made quite a few skirts, dresses, and my late Sister`s wedding dress in pre war white satin. I wish those wonderful clothes styles would come back. Kind regards David Barber david.barber434@gmail.com
Hi David,
Thank you for commenting and sharing the outstanding style of your sister and the talent of your mother. I can imagine what the dresses looked like.
While these styles are not mainstream anymore, there is a very large community of vintage fashion fans who wear these fashions. Many are vintage, but there is also a community of sewers who recreate the outfits from vintage patterns. They attend events and share their love on social media. So it’s still around but just on a smaller scale.
Thanks for commenting!
Liz