From Diana to Rihanna: exhibition pays homage to the women who wore Dior

By

Monica Karski

Published
May 2, 2016

France's Christian Dior Museum, housed in the fashion designer's childhood home in Granville, Normandy, is holding a summer exhibition entitled "Women in Dior - Sublime Elegance of a Portrait," May 5 to September 25, 2016. The exhibition pays homage to the stylish women -- princesses, First Ladies, fashion icons, movie stars, musicians and more -- who have worn garments designed by the French fashion house, exploring the relationship between the different Dior pieces and their famous wearers.

After being sketched by the designer, crafted in the atelier and presented at the traditional catwalk shows, haute-couture garments are carefully chosen by the women of the world. Selections are made in function of tastes and personalities or with specific events in mind.

"Women in Dior - Sublime Elegance of a Portrait," organized by fashion historian and curator Florence Müller, honors these famous figures and the key moments in their lives that saw them create an unbreakable bond with the Dior pieces they wore.

From Mitzah Bricard to Rihanna

The exhibition focuses on the elegant women who have showcased Dior's dresses, garments and accessories in style, from 1947 to the present day. Their personality, style and key moments from their lives are explored through a selection of dresses, photographs, letters, paintings and drawings.

The Christian Dior Museum pays homage to Princess Grace of Monaco, Lady Diana, Leonor Fini, Olivia de Havilland, Jackie Kennedy, Francine Weisweiller, Marilyn Monroe, Charlize Theron, Liz Taylor, Mitzah Bricard, Edmonde Charles-Roux, Natalie Portman, Jennifer Lawrence, Marion Cotillard and Rihanna.

Among the exhibition's striking portraits, Lady Diana can be seen on a trip to Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1995, carrying the bag that would become the iconic Lady Dior. Similarly, Rihanna can be seen attending Dior's 2016 spring/summer ready-to-wear show, held in Paris, France, in 2015.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a book, also entitled "Women in Dior - Sublime Elegance of a Portrait," written by fashion journalist Laurence Benaïm and published by Rizzoli. The book takes a closer look at the famous figures who marked the history of the French fashion house, exploring their tastes, their memories and -- of course -- their Dior ensembles.