This elegant catalogue showcases over 90 of the House of Dior’s finest haute couture designs. Published for the inaugural exhibition at fashion and design hub M7, Christian Dior Designer of Dreams reflects the pioneering spirit of the fashion label’s creative directors, from founder Christian Dior’s assertive glamour to Maria Grazia Chiuri’s feminist romanticism. This catalogue also presents Lady Dior Art handbags, which are collaborations with contemporary artists, a selection of vintage fashion sketches by Dior and evening gowns worn by famous celebrities and royalty, including Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser of Qatar.
Winner of a 2021 AIGA 50 Books | 50 Covers Award for Design Excellence
Inspired by the words of Christian Dior himself, “I could perfectly well design a whole collection simply in black or white…”, this elegant pocket-sized book is wrapped in a pristine white fabric jacket with densely sprayed black edges creating a striking contrast of tones. Opening the book, the reader finds on the reverse of the cover, a playful detail from one of the couturier’s favourite toile de jouy patterns, setting the scene for the experience within. What follows is a visual feast of serene minimalism juxtaposed with the most intricate and elaborate details.
Each haute couture design is presented alone on the page like a timeless sculpture, photographed against a subdued black background with minimal distraction, followed by intimate closeups, like abstract works of art showcasing the intricacy of the craft. Captions centred on the pages opposite, representing a subtle continuous thread throughout the book, are complemented on occasion by the words of Dior himself, reminding the reader of the vision behind his creations.
The images conclude with a series of unmistakable Dior sketches on uncoated paper, the cue to turn the book around to begin again from the Arabic side with a completely new set of haute couture designs and details. Unique among the catalogue of fashion books, this small but perfectly formed volume feels somewhat like a photo album with over 500 pages and 200 exquisite images immersing the reader in the dreamlike world of the House of Dior.
Language: English/ Arabic
Publication date: 2021
ISBN: 978-9927-108-67-9
