Christian Dior – Stacey Stitch

A few weeks ago my friend Alison contacted me on facebook to say she had some old 60s patterns, mostly 34 bust and would like them? Of course I jumped at the chance thinking I’d be getting about five or six but I was bowled over to receive over 50 vintage patterns form different decades.

There are some amazing patterns in there, vintage Vogue Paris patterns designed by Christian Dior and Nina Ricci for a start. I was so thrilled and would like to say a massive thanks to Alison for her generosity, I can only say that I will be sewing away and have some results for you soon (even if that means going to Tesco in full evening dress)

I’ve added them to My Vintage Patterns set on flickr and below are some of the ones I can’t wait to get sewing, I should say though, there are so many you should go and have a nosey…I couldn’t list them all on here, you’d be scrolling forever!

Nestled in the rather lovely Platt Fields Park, and very agreeably a five minute walk from my house, is The Gallery of Costume.

Entirely funded by the City Council it has, in recent years, been refurbished and updated to include a changing exhibitions gallery, all housed in the magnificent Georgian Grade II listed building. It’s free entry and open daily.

The current exhibition is “Christian Dior: Designer in Focus”

There are a range of dresses on display from day wear, evening to cocktail wear and a bevy of information accompanying each piece. It is one thing to read about Dior’s new Look and to peruse photos of these beautiful garments, but it is quite another to see them in front of you.

Below I have included some of my favourites from the exhibition, ad I have only included the downstairs portion, if you want to see more you have visit them, and you should! The exhibition is on until Sunday 12th January.

Evening Dress, 1956

This beautiful taffeta floral evening dress was designed by the young Yves Saint Laurent and sold in the Dior Paris Boutique shop.

Day Dress, 1948

From the second major collection after New Look, this tier skirted day dress is a stunning example of Dior’s early couture styling.

Day Dress, 1949

My favourite piece on display, this dress was commissioned by Wallis Simpson, Duchess of Windsor. The photo really doesn’t do it justice though, she must have cut quite the figure in this, worth absconding for I reckon!

Cocktail Dress & Jacket, 1956

Peach silk, printed with a chinese design in black and them embroidered, the intricate detail of this stunning dress and jacket quite simply takes your breath away.

There are other treasures in the exhibition, hand drawn designs from the sketchbook of Dior himself no less:

There is a second floor exhibition room complete with other stunning Dior creations and even in the permanent exhibition space, in the 1950s cabinet I noticed some Dior pieces out on display; a grey silk couture dress and jacket from YSL’s first collection at Dior in 1958 and a yellow silk cocktail dress from 1959. Both after CD’s untimely death in 1957 but both striking nonetheless.

The permanent exhibitions are well worth a look, there are some beautiful pieces in there along with this touching sculpture by Susie McMurray named “Widow”; 100,000 sliver pins representing her grief.

And on that poignant note Tim did this…

Then we both did this….

And then this…

Then we left and strolled round the park and ate an ice cream, whilst watching the Canadian geese, ducks and swan signets stick their bums in the air while they fished.