Christian Dior Pleated Hem Skirt
About the Item
- Designer:
- Dimensions:Length: 36.23 in (92 cm)Marked Size: 44 (EU)Waist: 14.97 in (38 cm)Hip: 18.9 in (48 cm)
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Milano, IT
- Reference Number:
Christian Dior
When Christian Dior launched his couture house, in 1946, he wanted nothing less than to make “an elegant woman more beautiful and a beautiful woman more elegant.” He succeeded, and in doing so the visionary designer altered the landscape of 20th century fashion. Vintage Dior bags, shoes, evening dresses, shirts and other garments and accessories are known today for their feminine and sophisticated sensibility.
Dior was born in Granville, on the Normandy coast, in 1905. His prosperous haute bourgeois parents wanted him to become a diplomat despite his interest in art and architecture. However, they agreed to bankroll an art gallery, which Dior opened in 1928 in Paris with a friend.
This was the start of Dior’s rise in the city’s creative milieu, where he befriended Pablo Picasso and Jean Cocteau. After seven years as an art dealer, Dior retrained as a fashion illustrator, eventually landing a job as a fashion designer for Robert Piguet, and in 1941, following a year of military service, he joined the house of Lucien Lelong. Just five years later, with the backing of industrialist Marcel Boussac, the ascendant Dior established his own fashion house, at 30 avenue Montaigne in Paris.
Just two years after the end of World War II, the fashion crowd and the moribund haute couture industry were yearning, comme tout Paris, for security and prosperity, desperate to discard the drab, sexless, utilitarian garb imposed by wartime deprivation. They needed to dream anew.
And Dior delivered: He designed a collection for a bright, optimistic future. “It’s quite a revolution, dear Christian!” exclaimed Carmel Snow, the prescient American editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar, famously proclaiming, “Your dresses have such a new look.” The press ran with the description, christening Dior’s debut Spring/Summer haute couture collection the New Look. “God help those who bought before they saw Dior,” said Snow. “This changes everything.”
Dior’s collection definitively declared that opulence, luxury and femininity were in. His skirts could have 40-meter-circumference hems, and outfits could weigh up to 60 pounds. They were cut and shaped like architecture, on strong foundations that molded women and “freed them from nature,” Dior said. Rather than rationing, his ladies wanted reams of fabric and 19-inch waists enforced by wire corsets, and the fashion world concurred. The debut got a standing ovation.
In the subsequent decade, Paris ruled as the undisputed fashion capital of the world, and Christian Dior reigned as its king. With the luxuriously full skirts of his New Look, suits and his drop-dead gorgeous couture dresses and ball gowns worthy of any princess, Dior gave women the gift of glamour they’d lost in the miserable years of war.
On 1stDibs, find an exquisite range of vintage Christian Dior clothing, jewelry, handbags and other items.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Milano, Italy
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 14 days of delivery.
- Valentino Pussy-Bow BlouseBy Valentino GaravaniLocated in Milano, ITValentino silk pink blouse featuring pussy-bow, long sleeve and button fastening.Category
2010s Shirts
- Gianni Versace Printed ShirtBy Gianni VersaceLocated in Milano, ITThis long-sleeve Gianni Versace shirt is crafted from soft, lightweight fabric with a vibrant multicolor stripe pattern. The classic shirt collar and cuffs add an elegant finish, and it's finished with black buttons showcasing the signature Versace emblem...Category
1990s Shirts
- Vivienne Westwood Pianist ShirtBy Vivienne WestwoodLocated in Milano, ITVivienne Westwood cotton shirt relaxed fit, long sleeve, button fastening.Category
2010s Shirts
- Burberry Unicorn T-shirt - '20sBy BurberryLocated in Milano, ITPrinted on an oversized tee, the shirt showcases a unicorn placed on a plain white cotton canvas. The branded flair is added by the namesake emblem placed on the left sleeve of the t...Category
2010s English Shirts
- Roberto Cavalli Feather Printed Silk Blouse - '00sBy Roberto CavalliLocated in Milano, ITRoberto Cavalli cowboy shirt styled silk blouse with teal contrast piping on the two front pockets, button stand and cuff of the sleeves. The multi colored feather print was featured...Category
Early 2000s Italian Blouses and Tops
- Etro Paisley Printed ShirtBy EtroLocated in Milano, ITThis Etro Paisley Printed Shirt is crafted from a high-quality blend of cotton and elastane for an ultra-comfortable fit. Featuring Etro's signature paisley print, this shirt is desi...Category
2010s Shirts
- Givenchy Camouflage Velcro Patch Men's Polo Shirt Size LBy GivenchyLocated in Downey, CAGivenchy Camouflage Velcro Patch Men's Polo Shirt Size L A classic Givenchy polo with an added twist added on with velcro patch areas for you to make th...Category
2010s Portuguese Shirts
- Alexander Mcqueen Blue Classic MCQ Plaid Button Down Long Sleeve SZ Small ShirtBy Alexander McQueenLocated in Downey, CAAlexander Mcqueen Blue Classic Mcq Plaid Button Down Long Sleeve SZ Small Shirt This blue cotton button-down shirt from Alexander McQueen is a fine example of the label's contempora...Category
2010s Shirts
- Dsquared2 Pink L Dsq2 Classic Lake Shore Toronto 'Rebels' Men's Tee ShirtBy Dsquared2Located in Downey, CADsquared2 Pink L Dsq2 Classic Lake Shore Toronto 'Rebels' Men's Tee Shirt Pink cotton T-shirt from DSQUARED2 featuring a crew neck, short sleeves, a straight h...Category
2010s Italian T-Shirts
- James Perse Gray Wool Black Ribbed Trench Coat ShirtLocated in Downey, CAJames Perse Gray Wool Black Ribbed Trench Coat Shirt James Perse simple takes on coats are a must have for your closet! Made with quality materials and made in the USA . Add a stapl...Category
2010s American Coats
- Dsquared2 Grey and Navy Blue L DSQ2 Survival of the Tuffest Print Tee ShirtBy Dsquared2Located in Downey, CADsquared2 Grey and Navy Blue L DSQ2 Survival of the Tuffest Print Tee Shirt This grey cotton blend slogan destroyed T-shirt from DSQUARED2 features a round neck, short sleeves and a...Category
2010s Italian T-Shirts
- Gucci White Button-down Collared Men's Slim Size 39 ShirtBy GucciLocated in Downey, CAGucci White Button-down Collared Men's Slim Size 39 Shirt A perfect shirt for work or play, this GUCCI shirt has a classic touch to the button-down shirt with elegant detail. Wear t...Category
2010s Italian Shirts
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
Too Soon for the Return of ’90s Fashion? As If
There's a renewed appreciation for the era's aesthetic, perhaps most notably among millennials seeking authentic, easy style.
14 Iconic Luxury Handbags and the Stories behind Them
When the name of a bag is as well-known as its brand, you know it's a classic.