Early 1990s Christian Dior by Gianfranco Ferre Cheetah Print Embroidered Dress
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Marked Size: 38FR (EU)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Light wear throughout.
- Seller Location:West Hollywood, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU2388219738462
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.
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 evening 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: West Hollywood, CA
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 1 day of delivery.
- F/W 1999 Gianni Versace by Donatella Red Rhinestone Beaded Black Tube DressBy Donatella Versace for Gianni Versace, Gianni Versace CoutureLocated in West Hollywood, CAPresenting a beautiful black Gianni Versace strapless dress, designed by Donatella Versace. From the Fall/Winter 1999 collection, the same rhinestone and beading technique was seen o...Category
1990s Italian Cocktail Dresses
- 1990s Thierry Mugler Black Knit Cut Out Abstract DressBy Thierry MuglerLocated in West Hollywood, CAPresenting a beautiful black Thierry Mugler dress, designed by Manfred Mugler. From the 1990s, this form-fitting dress features off-the-shoulder straps, an asymmetrical neckline, low...Category
1990s Cocktail Dresses
- 1990s Thierry Mugler Little Black Double Bow Cutout Belted Mini DressBy Thierry MuglerLocated in West Hollywood, CAPresenting a fabulous black Thierry Mugler mini dress, designed by Manfred Mugler. From the early 1990s, this little black dress features an angular scoop neckline and waist belt. Th...Category
1990s French Mini Dresses
- F/W 2007 Christian Dior Haute Couture by John Galliano Black Velvet Beaded DressBy John Galliano for Christian Dior, Christian DiorLocated in West Hollywood, CAPresenting a black velvet Christian Dior Haute Couture midi dress, designed by John Galliano. From the Fall/Winter 2007 Christian Dior's 60th Anniversary Haute Couture collection held at Versailles, a version of this custom-made dress debuted on the season's runway modeled by, Helena Christensen. features cropped sleeves and an angular neckline. The dress is constructed of luxurious black velvet with hand-beaded accents throughout. The dress is made complete with a built-in silk satin sash that wraps around and drapes at the back. A spectacular example of the masterful design and craftsmanship that goes into creating an haute couture garment, this Christian Dior by John Galliano dress...Category
Early 2000s French Cocktail Dresses
- S/S 1988 Thierry Mugler Runway Ad Orange One Sleeve Sculptural Sahara DressBy Thierry MuglerLocated in West Hollywood, CAPresenting a striking asymmetric dress designed by Manfred Thierry Mugler for his Spring/Summer 1988 collection. This dramatic dress debuted on the runway ...Category
1980s French Cocktail Dresses
- S/S 1998 Thierry Mugler Silver Abstract Pendant Brown Wrap Drape Maxi DressBy Thierry MuglerLocated in West Hollywood, CAPresenting a brown Thierry Mugler wrap dress, designed by Manfred Mugler. From the Spring/Summer 1998, this midi dress features silver-tone hoop accents and a tie at the waist. Simil...Category
1990s French Maxi Dresses
- Comme Des Garçons Button-up Black Chiffon Shirt DressBy Comme des GarçonsLocated in Berlin, BEComme Des Garçons Button-up Black Shirt Dress Brand: Comme Des Garçons Designer: Rei Kawakubo Collection/Year: 2000s Fabric: Cotton / Chiffon Color: Black Size: XS Japanese desig...Category
2010s Japanese Casual Dresses
- Vintage 1920's Gold Beaded Sequin Dress Flapper Dress UK 6-8 US 2-4Located in Cheltenham, GBFull of opulent original details, rendered in the most luxurious fashion, this rare 1920's piece is a beauty to behold and never again find. The rounded neckline of the dress, is fr...Category
1920s European Cocktail Dresses
- Vintage 1920's Black Silk Chiffon Beaded Bow Dress UK 12 US 8Located in Cheltenham, GBFull of opulent original details, rendered in the most luxurious fashion, this rare 1920's piece is a beauty to behold. On a base of black silk chiffon and embellished with glass bea...Category
1920s European Cocktail Dresses
- Vintage 1950's Silk Brocade Butterfly Dress UK 8-10 US 4-6Located in Cheltenham, GBA marvel to behold, this original 1950's silk brocade dress in a vibrant shade of fuchsia pink with rose pink accents, in a wonderfully intricate butterfly pattern, is just the piece...Category
1950s Cocktail Dresses
- Vintage Late 1950's Black Christian Dior Dress UK 8 US 4By Christian DiorLocated in Cheltenham, GBThis collectible and rare late 1950's Christian Dior dress, rendered in a deep black wool crepe, showcases the iconic silhouette of the era, whilst remaining to this day a classic an...Category
1950s European Cocktail Dresses
- 1990' vintage red and black dress by Moschino cheap & chicBy Moschino, Moschino Cheap and ChicLocated in LAGNY-SUR-MARNE, FR1990' vintage red and black dress by Moschino cheap & chic. In good condition some velvet pearls are missing (see pictures) but the overall state is impeccable. the top of the dress ...Category
1990s Italian Mini Dresses
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.