J'adore Dior and More

Wednesday October 4 was a beautiful day to be in Paris.  A high of 18C with blue sky and lots of sun.
We seemed to have tackled our jet lag by sleeping in to about 10:00 a.m.   After a late breakfast, we headed out to the Musée des Arts Décoratifs to see the exhibit: Christian Dior, Couturier du Rêve/Designer of Dreams.  It was a spectacular exhibit and we spent two hours viewing a truly comprehensive show.

The first room dealt with Dior's background, family and early influences.  He was born in 1905 in Granville, France (in Normandy), to a wealthy family.  He was first an art gallery owner and then after closing his gallery due to the bad economy in mid 1930s, he started fashion drawing.  He opened his own couture house in1946 and his first collection featuring the "New Look" was a huge success.  Dior died suddenly of a heart attack in 1957. Since his death, there have been six artistic directors of the House of Dior.

The exhibits focusses on the ten years of his tenure between 1947-57.  There are also six rooms devoted to the six artistic directors that followed Dior, and some of their work is also interspersed with the original Dior designs.  The present artistic director, Maria Grazia Chiuri is the first woman artistic director.  There are also photos by some of the best photographers of the 20th century of models wearing his clothes.


Portrait of Christian Dior 1928 by Paul Strecker
Drawing made for Claude Saint Cyr by Dior in around 1937-38
Princess Margaret with Dior at Blenheim Palace 1954
An early section of the exhibit showcased some of the art that Dior would have exhibited at his art gallery in the 1930s.  The section also showed paintings that influenced some of the other artistic directors.

Arlequin by André Derain (1924) and an Harlequin painting by Picasso inspired Dior artistic directors Gianfranco Ferré and John Galliano.
Arlequin coat by Gianfranco Ferré 1995 inspired by Derain and Embroidered duchess satin ensemble
inspired by Picasso by John Galliano 2007 

An Agnes Martin painting inspired Dior artistic director Raf Simons.

Agnes Martin Untitled #1, 2003

Haute Couture Fall-Winter 2012, Raf Simons for Christian Dior
Feather-embroaidered organza evening gown
A number of rooms organized by colour featured incredible miniatures of Dior gowns, interspersed with the finished garments by Christian Dior and subsequent artistic directors.  The miniatures were incredible.  The display also included jewels and hats.  Incredible detail and creativity.
White sections- most are miniatures

Pink
Incredible opera gown by Dior (miniature)
Red
Chartreuse
Black and white designs
Beautiful greys

Photo 1955- The New Look
Influenced by 18th century ball gowns 
Flowers also influenced the work of Dior and his successors.
Painted organza dress- John Galliano 2010
Embroidered tulle bustier evening dress- Raf Simons 2013
Christian Dior - red dress inspired by flowers
Another room had white cut outs from paper hanging from the ceiling and a number of dresses with a spring theme.
Front dress- Christian Dior 1957- organdie dress embroidered by Barbier
Dress on left-Opera Bouffe- Christian Dior 1956
Miss Dior - Christian Dior Spring-Summer 1949
Ceiling cut-outs
The exhibit continued across the entrance way.  A classic New Look dress was at the entrance.
Christian Dior- Haute Couture Spring- Summer 1947


Maria Grazia Chiuri- Ready-to-wear Spring Summer 2017

Another room featured the toiles- the test versions of the dresses done by the ateliers of dressmaking and tailoring.  Incredible details.


There was a crowd watching an exhibit of the making of a toile

Following the room featuring only the white toiles, was a room of gowns in an incredible opulent setting.  The Musée, itself has a beautiful interior that was used to the best advantage.

Christian Dior  also loved the decorative style that characterizes the Palace of Versailles.  Jean Cocteau, a friend of Dior, said that Dior rhymes with "or", the French word for gold.  Many of his gowns and his successors have been infused with nuances of gold.  Post war balls gave Dior the opportunity to create sumptuous gowns.


Ida Rubenstein- by Antonio de La Gandara (1871-1917) 1913
More opulent gowns
Baronne Marcel Baeyens by Philip  Alexius de Laszlo- 1911


After the show we spotted some fashionistas outside.   It was also the day after Paris fashion week ended, so there were still some fashion folks in town.

We hurried off to Palais Royal to meet friends.

My favourite over the top entrance
The courtyard
Grace
At 4:00 p.m. we met our friend Judy and her friend Janice who are visiting Paris for about two weeks.  We met at our favourite scarf place in the Palais Royal--- Épice---.  Judy, Grace and myself all bought scarves.  The colours and designs are wonderful.  The boxes each contain around five scarves in one pattern but different colours.  It was a real Épice Party, with Zohra from the store helping us choose.
Judy on the left trying on a scarf.  She ended up with the one that Janice is holding.
Deciding which of the dotted scarves to get.  I chose the one with the bright pink section.
We went for a coffee at Café Kitsune at the Palais Royal after our Epice Party.
Judy with her new scarf.  Fabulous colours and patterns.
Grace with an older Epice scarf she brought with her.
Great store window--- "Make "La Parisienne" Unic Again" !!!!
We continued to walk along Rue St. Honoré and then turned up Rue du Marché Saint-Honoré where I had to stop at Le Chocolate Alain Ducasse.  I bought a small chocolate bar and the woman working there gave us three hand-made chocolates to try.  Excellent!

Le Chocolat Alain Ducasse 

We stopped for an apero at Bar & Cantine de Quartier.  It was lovely sitting outside at around 7:30 p.m. as the sun was setting.


Finishing up
We started our long walk back to the apartment.  We have passed a number of beautiful flower stores the past two days.  This one of Rue St. Honoré was exceptionally lovely.


We walked across the river and I took this photo of the full moon over the Seine.  What a perfect day in Paris!
Moonlight over the Seine
We walked back to the apartment and Grace and Alain prepared a wonderful meal of dorade, beans, potatoes, and salad.  A glass of wine and cheese before dinner and chocolate after.  Superb!

Comments

  1. Unknown8 October 2017 at 21:15

    So Beautiful. We would have so enjoyed the Dior show. It looks like it was fabulous. Also, of course the scarfs from Epice. Did Alain also get a new one? And then the Alain Ducasse chocolates. Oh, the good, sweet life.

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