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Monday 31 January 2011

The New Look: A Fashion Revolution

Ever since I began my journey into studying Fashion I have always been interested in the work of Christian Dior. Maybe it is his beautiful designs, or the fact that he changed the face of fashion as we know it. All I know is, I love his work and no matter how hard Galliano tries, he can never replace him.

To tell this story properly, we need to go back about 60 odd years, the world had just come out of the second world war. New technology had been invented to combat the enemy and new ways of producing that technology had arisen as a by-product. But lurking behind the success and celebrations of victory was the bleak truth, awful things had happened.
The world would never be the same.

Along came Mr. Dior in 1947 with something he liked to call; The 'New Look', it was a new way for women to wear clothes after the austerity of rationing and the closures of the fashion houses in Paris, now was the time to re-invent ourselves - to be whoever we wanted to be.


Dior produced a whole new silhouette for the modern post-war woman. There were vibrant colours, sequins and diamantes and tight cinched in waistlines. Women loved it.

To this day, so do I. There is something mystical about the fact that Dior changed the whole face of Fashion as we know it. Who knows where we would be now if he hadn't?
Would we have our Topshop, River Island or the namesake shop itself: New Look? Possibly, but we certainly wouldn't be where we are now with fashion.

Before the 1950s we don't tend to know very much about fashion design itself, sure, we know the styles and the accessories that were popular, but do we know the designers? No.

The reason? Because up until the first world war, you either made your clothes yourself or had someone come and measure you and make something to order. And during the war, you pretty much made do with what you had.

Dior set the bar for a whole host of fashion design starlets, Balengiaga, Valentino and many more that took on the idea that clothing was no longer about convenience - but style and choice.

So for that Mr. Dior, I applaude you. Bravo, and long may your name reign in the fashion world.




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