As part of the Normandy Impressionist festival, the exhibition “Women in Dior. Sublime Elegance of a Portrait”, on show at the Christian Dior Museum, invites visitors to discover the designer’s work and inspirations through the women who have chosen and worn the creations of the maison.

After the designer’s sketches, the workshop realization and the presentation on the catwalk, customers give new life to the creations, adapting them to their personalities and the world they live. Worn by the customer, the dress takes on her identity and her history. They show how the Dior fashion house helps to “make women more beautiful”, in the words of Christian Dior himself, and to construct their social identity.

The exhibition reveals the allure of the stars who wear Dior. These figures of elegance, from both France and other countries, include women from the worlds of the aristocracy, entertainment, theatre and cinema. These portraits ‘in Dior’ show icons of refinement and distinction such as the Duchess of Windsor, Princess Grace of Monaco, Lady Diana, Jackie Kennedy and Princess Soraya, or stars like Maria Callas, Elizabeth Taylor, Olivia de Havilland, Josephine Baker and Marilyn Monroe. The exhibit portrays also Dior’s major customers and close friends: Geneviève Page, Suzanne Luling or Mitzah Bricard, for example, alongside stars of today such as Marion Cotillard, Charlize Theron and Rihanna.

A selection of models evoking both famous and anonymous women wearing Dior illustrates the fashion house’s style and its many faces. A stunning collection of ninety haute couture dresses, as well as photographs, drawings and paintings, showcasing the harmonious way in which a Dior design and the wearer’s individual image and personality enhance one another. Magazines show them at events or social gatherings. Memories, anecdotes, family portraits, and press images all highlight the uniqueness of each woman in Dior.

The exhibition will be on show until May 25th. For more information, please visit Christian Dior Museum.

Photo: Christian Dior Museum. All rights reserved.