In early September of last year I was lucky enough to be go and see an exhibition featuring seventy years of Dior fashion at the National Gallery of Victoria. Although the exhibition has since packed up and left Melbourne (sorry!), I still wanted to write about it for this weeks post as it was absolutely beautiful and deserves to be mentioned on my little blog.

The exhibit from start to finish was presented in different stages. The first stage was the beginnings of Dior featuring pieces over 50 years old along with little details written below them such as the year they were made, by whom and what occasion they were designed for. Something that struck me instantly was how simple the designs were yet how many of them could be worn today. After this part we were lead into a room with two levels separated by a staircase that you were able to use in order to see the pieces displayed on the second level. The rooms’ neutral walls allowed for the focus to be placed on the garments, of which there were a diverse range presented together from different time periods and designers of Dior.

Personally I liked how this was done because you were able to appreciate how the fashion house has changed and grown yet how they have maintained who they are. There were dresses decades apart that shared the same silhouette but differed in fabric and colour or vice versa. Regardless, you knew they were Dior.

There were parts of the exhibit that payed homage to the creation of the garments or Atelier as it was titled. The gallery really highlighted this part with video footage of the men and women who work to make each piece, practising their craft in a behind the scenes montage. This part effortlessly flowed into a collection of outfits grouped together by their designer concluding with the current creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri’s designs. To recognise the dress Jennifer Lawrence wore to the oscars or a piece that was featured on the most recent runway show was quite unreal at times. Overall it was great to really see the craftsmanship and creativity that has gone into the last 70 years.

There were parts dedicated to Dior accessories: hats, gloves and shoes galore, each with bold patterns and shapes but undoubtedly beautiful and eye catching to see in person. Finally, just when you thought that you were at the end of the exhibit, seeing old photographs of Dior models and reading newspaper articles documenting their small milestones, around a corner was the room of all rooms. A final display of gowns fit for royalty, each more amazing that the previous: glittery, long and dramatic. This was by far my favourite room as it truly captured the glamour and excitement of Dior.

Hopefully some of these photos do it justice. Even though the exhibit is no longer running, if there is ever a show or exhibit in your town that interests you and you have the chance, please go. There is nothing like going to a gallery or museum!