Christian Dior changed the way women dress; new Glenbow exhibit tells the story

Striking silhouettes are the hallmark of ChristianDior's style, synonymous with our idea of elegance.

A new retrospective at the Glenbow Museum walks us throughthestory of Diorfrom 1947 to 1957through a mostly Canadian collection of the designer's work.

Calgary stylist Leah Van Loon saysDior, whowas known for his approach of dressing women as flowers, was also abusiness man. As his namestretched around the world, he made sure he had control over his brand.

"He knew how to sell things to people hats, shoes, even thefragrance," she said. "From head to toe, you were aDiorwoman."

Most of thedresses on displaywere purchased in Canada, worn in Canada, and donated to the museum by Canadian women. Theyare from a permanent collection at the Royal Ontario Museum.

• Listen tostylist Lean Van Loon onChristianDior'slegacyon The CalgaryEyeopener.

"When you think about haute couture, these were all dresses that were made very specifically, very personally, for some person. So each of these has lived a life with these women as well," Van Loon said. "They've been altered,they'vebeen shortened,they'vebeen slightly changed toaccommodatethe rest of these women's lives.

"This wasn't really a piece that wasworn once and put away; it, hopefully, wasworn over and over again, especially the day suits."

Dior was known for revolutionizing the shape of women's clothing after the war.

"He designed this new silhouette thattook up masses of material with very wide skirts, long, nearly to the ankles,"Alexandra Palmer,thecurator of the ChristianDiorexhibit,told the Homestretch. "So there were yards and yards and yards of material in a skirt, and people hadn't had material during the war.

"He had these very soft shoulders and this new way of moving that people had never seen before. Ifyou think of Lauren Bacallas fabulous big shoulder pads that was out. And so it really was putting women into this feminine silhouette that was astonishing, and what it signified was the end of the war 'This is a different era, let's move forward' and people loved it."

There were many, however, who protested against putting women back into corsets after the war.

"Women who'd worked in munitions factories and done a lot really good work getting forward, and being paid, had to go back into the house to make room for the returning men," she said."They didn't want to wear long skirts. They didn't want to spend the money."

But it wasn't long before Dior'scinched-in waists, rounded shoulders and voluminous skirts became knownas the new look.

Walking throughthe exhibit, Palmer points to the elaborate use of fabric and the detailed embroidery and beading, as well as the striking silhouettes.

"You know you can't have Oscars without some of this coming through it'sstill red carpet stuff," she said."It's still this idea of elegance we have."

• Listen to curatorAlexandra Palmer, with Jenny Howe, on The Homestretch.

With files from The Homestretch and The CalgaryEyeopener

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