The V&A to open the largest and most comprehensive exhibition ever staged in the UK on the house of Dior.
The V&A exhibition celebrating the life and work of the fashion designer Christian Dior is expected to be the largest retrospective on the French fashion house ever staged in the UK when it opens this year.
Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams, which opens on 2 February, follows a hugely popular exhibition of the same name that was held at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris in 2018, with the addition of a section documenting the designer’s fascination with British royalty and cultural figures.
The exhibition will present more than 500 objects, ranging from some of the designer's personal possessions to sketches and fashion photography. More than 200 rare haute couture garments will be on display, including the famed Bar Suit from Dior’s ground-breaking first collection in 1947 and the one-shoulder off-white tulle gown, decorated with asymmetric gold embroidery, worn by Princess Margaret for her 21st birthday celebrations.
The show will also explore how each of Dior's successors, including Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, Raf Simons and Maria Grazia Chiuri, have referenced his designs and continued his legacy.