Pieces included a lilac floral gown designed by the great Yves Saint Laurent during his time at Dior, several black cocktail dresses featuring narrow waists, sloping shoulders and plunging necklines, typical of the ''Ligne Carolle'', as well as a blue velvet piece that was on show in the upstairs space and was part of the Dior London collection.
However, it is safe to say that my favourite piece, and the showstopper from the entire collection was the 1956 embroidered ensemble made from printed peach silk, and decorated lavishly in a variety of metal threads and black seed pearls. It even featured very subtle embroidered figures and buildings that furthered the oriental vibe.
It was also lovely to see that the exhibition did not only have Dior's garments on display, but also included imagery from past publications as well as original sketches, giving the entire experience a more personal feel, steeped in history.
Tactfully positioned images of both Christian Dior himself, his famous quotations and his designs around the gallery prevented the viewer from forgetting that despite other displays of Victorian dress and various other things, the Dior collection was the prized jewel at the Gallery of Costume.
Despite this, I was slightly disappointed at the size and range of the exhibitions. Many pieces were of similar cut and design, in fabrics that unfortunately did not exhibit the typical traits of luxury dress one might associate with Christian Dior. However, this critical though process might be due to my seeing the Valentino exhibition at Somerset house earlier this year during the February London Fashion, week where the sheer size and exclusivity of the pieces on show were so out of this world that nothing could possibly could compare.
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