House of Dior: Seventy Years of Haute Couture comes to NGV in 2017

In a Melbourne exclusive, and to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the House of Dior, the National Gallery of Victoria will present the never-before-seen exhibition The House of Dior: Seventy Years of Haute Couture at NGV International from 27 August to 7 November, 2017.

The exhibition will feature a sumptuous display of over 140 garments from Christian Dior Couture designed between 1947 and 2017.

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Highlights include examples from Christian Dior’s iconic Spring 1947 ‘New Look’ collection, magnificent displays of Dior’s signature ballgowns and evening dresses, as well as current contemporary designs from the House’s first female head designer, Maria Grazia Chiuri. Christian Dior, Paris (fashion house) Christian Dior (designer) Bar suit spring−summer 1947 collection, modelled by Renee 1955 gelatin silver photograph Photograph by Willy Maywald Collection of Christian Dior Archives, Paris © Willy Maywald/ADAGP, Paris. Licensed by Viscopy, Sydney

Christian Dior, Paris (fashion house) John Galliano (designer) Red silk and wool dress, spring−summer 2009 haute couture collection Photo © Laziz Hamani

Models posing in new Christian Dior collection. (Photo by Loomis Dean//Time Life Pictures/Getty Images)

Christian Dior and fashion model c. 1950 © Christian Dior

Christian Dior and fashion model Lucky c. 1956 © Christian Dior Photo: Bellini

Drawing primarily on material from the House of Dior archive in Paris and the NGV Collection, the exhibition will also feature accessories, sketches, photographs, haute couture toiles, multimedia and archival material. Sketch by Christian Dior for the autumn−winter 1949 haute couture collection © Christian Dior

Inside the ateliers of the House of Dior, 2012 © Pol Baril

Diorama dress, autumn−winter 1947 haute couture collection All rights reserved Photo: Sante Forlano

Coquette dress, autumn−winter 1948 haute couture collection Photo © Clifford Coffin/Licensed by Trunk Archive Model: Wenda Rogerson (Parkinson)

Christian Dior draping fabric over fashion model Sylvie c. 1948 © Christian Dior Photo: Bellini

Christian Dior, Paris (fashion house) Maria Grazia Chiuri (designer) spring−summer 2017 ready-to-wear collection © Dior

Christian Dior, Paris (fashion house) Maria Grazia Chiuri (designer) spring−summer 2017 ready-to-wear collection © Dior

Christian Dior hat from the Raout silhouette, spring−summer 1956 haute couture collection, Fleche line © Henry Clarke, Musée Galliera. ADAGP, Paris. Licensed by Viscopy, Sydney

Christian Dior Eugenie dress, autumn−winter 1948 haute couture collection © Willy Maywald/ADAGP, Paris. Licensed by Viscopy, Sydney

Christian Dior adjusts the accessories to the Zaire dress, on his star model Victoire, during rehearsal for the autumn−winter 1954, haute couture show Photo © Mark Shaw/mptvimages.com

Christian Dior, Paris (fashion house) John Galliano (designer) spring−summer 1997 haute couture Photo by Michael Thompson, featured in Vogue Paris, 1997 © Licensed by Trunk Archive Model: Kylie Bax

The House of Dior exhibition – the biggest retrospective ever held in Australia – will narrate the rich history of the fashion house, from Christian Dior’s early influences, the design codes synonymous with the fashion house, and the milestones of the six successive designers to follow after Christian Dior’s sudden death in 1957, including Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, Raf Simons and Maria-Grazia Chiuri, who was appointed in 2015, becoming the first woman at the head of the couture house.

The House of Dior: Seventy Years of Haute Couture will be at NGV International, 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne, Australia from 27 August to 7 November 2017. Tickets are on sale now.

Pictured at top: Christian Dior models arriving in Australia for the presentation of the autumn−winter 1957 haute couture collection, Christian Dior’s last collection, at Myer Mural Hall in Australia, November 1957 All rights reserved.