House of Dior at the NGV: A Melbourne Exclusive | A fashion blog from Melbourne

In celebration of the seventieth anniversary of the House of Dior, the National Gallery of Victoria presents The House of Dior: Seventy Years of Haute Couture. I was lucky enough to get a preview of this exhibition which is exclusive to Melbourne. And haven’t we had some amazing fashion exhibitions of late – remember Viktor & Rolf?

A collaboration between the NGV and the House of Dior, it includes a sumptuous display of more than 140 garments designed between 1947 and 2017. Aside from garments, the exhibition includes such items as the collection chart from 1948, complete with fabric swatches. You can see the genesis of the ‘New Look’ he made so famous after the second world war. Incredible.

The House of Dior explores the story of the fashion house through a series of themes, featuring works by the seven designers who have played key roles in shaping Dior’s renowned fashionable silhouette. Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, Raf Simons and Maria Grazia Chiuri are all on display.

The exhibition narrates the rich history of the fashion house. You’ll see Christian Dior’s early influences, the design codes synonymous with the house and insights into the atelier workrooms.

Accessories have played a critical role in expressing the complete Dior look and there’s an entire room dedicated to parfum, shoes and millinery.

Highlights include examples from Christian Dior’s iconic spring 1947 New Look collection, and magnificent displays of John Galliano’s signature ball gowns and evening dresses. Included are designs from the inaugural couture collection of the House’s first female head designer, Maria Grazia Chiuri.

Dior’s unique and longstanding affinity with Australia is also examined. In 1948 David Jones Sydney, hosted a collection where models wore fifty original creations by Christian Dior. This was the first complete Dior collection to be shown outside of Paris. Did you know that? Neither did I!

You should see this exhibition if for no other reason than that it perfectly encapsulates a moment in time, when women’s fashion changed forever. It’s intoxicating, mysterious and will delight. See it!