House of Dior comes to Melbourne

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

In celebration of the seventieth anniversary of the House of Dior, one of the most prestigious couture houses in the world, the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) will present the never-before-seen exhibition The House of Dior: Seventy Years of Haute Couture at NGV International (27 August – 7 November, 2017).

Exclusive to Melbourne, the exhibition is a collaboration between the NGV and the House of Dior and will feature a sumptuous display of over 140 garments from Christian Dior Couture designed 1947 to 2017. 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.

The exhibition will also explore Dior’s unique affinity with Australia, including the historic Spring 1948 fashion parade at David Jones, Sydney, where House models wore fifty original creations by Christian Dior. This is considered the first complete Dior collection to be shown outside of Paris.

The exhibition opening will be celebrated with the inaugural NGV Gala, a ticketed, black-tie ball on Saturday 26 August 2017. The proceeds from this event will go toward supporting the NGV Fashion and Textiles Collection.

Media contact: Marion Joseph, Head of Media and Public Affairs, NGV,  +61 3 8620 2346; +61 427 147 99; Marion.Joseph@ngv.vic.gov.au