In Granville, the Christian Dior Museum reveals its new exhibition exclusively to you

“Apart from the star, all the pieces in the exhibition have been renewed,” immediately announces Brigitte Richart, the curator of the Christian Dior museum in Granville.

For the second year in a row, the house of the famous couturier invites you to discover him, through objects retracing his lifethroughout the floors, almost all of which come from the museum’s collection.

Spotlight on the exhibition: “ Christian Dior, visionary fashion designer. »

Below, childhood, Granville and the flower garden

On the ground floor, immerse yourself in the world of a superstitious person, in his beginnings marked “by the star he found on the cobblestones of Paris”. A “lucky star”, which pushed her to take over her first fashion house.

Also learn more about the designer’s childhood in Granville, and in his father’s office, on his aversion to the activity of the family business, fertilizer producer. At the time, it displayed the slogan, “Dior fertilizer is gold”, long before the resemblance between the two words was exploited in the perfumer’s advertisements.

Also discover beautiful dresses with floral patternsrecalling the magnificent garden, now public, which surrounds the house, or older and classic models, with a powder pink color, inspired by the walls of the latter.

Sketches, black, and Paris, on the first floor

“Nothing is more elegant than a woman in black,” thought the designer. First floor, black dresses are therefore highlightedwhether from his time or that of his predecessors.

On the walls, images captured by great photographers in the fashion world, like Henry Clarke, who often worked with French Vogue, are affixed. We can see in particular his photo of the distinguished model Sylvie, belonging to the Naturelle line. Model that you will find in the window.

For the first time, the museum has also decided to highlight multiple sketches by Christian Dior. Very important drafts since, “not all fashion designers draw”, but this is the case of the original Granvillais.

A visionary fashion designer

During your visit, you will undoubtedly pass by the room where the fashion accessories and related products are highlighted. Their production made Christian Dior “a visionary”, a name which also inspired the name of the exhibition, because he was one of the first to understand that to last over time, haute couture houses could offer articles accessible to all.

Before continuing the visit, do not miss the corner dedicated to line A, letter a nod to the shape of the Eiffel Tower, and which is therefore inspired by the capital, a symbol of class and French charm. Bags, hats, shoes, scarves and even trench coats… Many pieces have been printed with a map of Paris.

The top floor, an opening to the world

Finally, the visit concludes with opening to the world by Christian Dior. “Although he did not like to travel, he was obliged to do so to present his collections,” explains Brigitte Richart, who nevertheless assures that, “from childhood, the designer dreamed of elsewhere.”

So, as the end of the 40s came, the time of cruises came, as women looked for outfits that were easy to carry and wear, Dior imagined original, very colorful pieces.

Still in this idea, he demonstrates great inventiveness in creating dresses in the spirit of Japana country whose culture fascinates him…

An exhibition to discover from Saturday April 6 to Sunday November 3, 2024.

Free (by reservation), on 1^er Sunday of each month. Address of the museum: 1, rue d’Estouteville, in Granville. Contact: 02 33 61 48 21. Website: www.musee-dior-granville.com

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