1962 Christian Dior Paris Demi-Couture White Tiered Ruffle Lace Formal Gown
View Similar Items
1962 Christian Dior Paris Demi-Couture White Tiered Ruffle Lace Formal Gown
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Bust: 36 in (91.44 cm)Waist: 26 in (66.04 cm)Hip: 40 in (101.6 cm)
- Style:New Look (Of the Period)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Material Notes:Lace, Silk
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Beverly Hills, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU309603602
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.
- Vintage 2006 Alexander McQueen Documented White Silk Chain Plunge High-Slit GownBy Alexander McQueenLocated in Beverly Hills, CAEthereal, highly coveted 2006 white documented runway show-stopper from the late and great Alexander Mcqueen. He was known for combining superb tailoring with a dramatic aesthetic inspired by...Category
Early 2000s European Wedding Dresses
- Vintage 1910's Edwardian White Embroidered Cotton Cut-Out Bridal Boudior DressLocated in Beverly Hills, CARomantic boudior dresses from the early 20th century are perennial favorites and this one is a show-stopper. The garment's effortless style is so modern; the fine embroidery and mixed-laces are a treasure trove of needle art...Category
1910s French Wedding Dresses
- Vintage 1971 Missoni Couture Floral Bird Print Silk-Jersey Fringe Crop Top SetBy MissoniLocated in Beverly Hills, CABreathtaking and highly coveted Missoni Couture documented iconic navy blue floral bird garden print two-piece ensemble from their 1971 collection. Such a rare and gorgeous color! Re...Category
1970s French Aesthetic Evening Dresses
- Vintage 1970s Travilla Ivory Chiffon & Lace Illusion Dolman Sleeve Bridal DressBy Travilla, William TravillaLocated in Beverly Hills, CAExtremely chic late 1970's ivory silk-chiffon and rose-print lace bridal dress from the iconic Travilla label. William Travilla designed costumes for...Category
1970s American Wedding Dresses
- Vintage 1950's Evelyn Brown Couture Sage Green Silk-Satin Ruched Cocktail DressLocated in Beverly Hills, CASuch an elegant and timeless 1950's cocktail dress from the Evelyn Brown Washington D.C designer label. Perfect for any upcoming party; you can't help but feel feminine in this beaut...Category
1950s American Aesthetic Evening Dresses
- Vintage 1977 Bill Gibb White Eyelet Cotton & Jersey Low Plunge Maxi Wrap DressBy Bill GibbLocated in Beverly Hills, CAEthereal Bill Gibb of London documented designer maxi dress dating back to his documented 1977 spring-summer collection. His pieces are very collec...Category
1970s English Aesthetic Day Dresses
- Leonard of Paris Fuschia Multi Color Silk Chiffon Strapless GownBy Leonard of ParisLocated in New York, NYVintage Leonard of Paris bright and flirty ruffled silk chiffon cocktail dress / evening gown, unmarked size, approximately US 6. Featuring four layer...Category
Late 20th Century French Evening Dresses and Gowns
- New LANVIN Duchesse Satin Vintage Gray Long Wedding Celebrity Gown US 2 4 FR 36By Lanvin ParisLocated in Goshen, KYSize: French 36 Brand: LANVIN Color: Light Dove Gray Season: Vintage Features: Strapless sweetheart neckline Draped detail throughout Ruffle detail at side Belt at waist Long leng...Category
2010s Wedding Dresses
- Vintage 1960's Lilac & Gold Lurex Keyhole Dress UK 12-14 US 8-10Located in Cheltenham, GBA classic silhouette rendered in a lilac cotton weave with a gold lurex thread geometric woven pattern, this eye-catching 1960's dress is just the piece for your cocktail wardrobe. The stylised rounded mandarin collar is framed by a simple shoulder line and a sleeveless cut. The detailed bodice is accented by three teardrop shaped keyhole features along the front of the neckline. The fitted bodice is accented tailored darts along the bust-line and a fitted waistline. The timeless A line cut of the skirt, completes this dress in an iconic 1960's silhouette. Label: None Measurements of the Dress: Armpit to Armpit: up to 36 inches Shoulder to Hem: 52 inches Waist: up to 32 inches Hips: up to 41 inches Fastenings: This dress fastens with a 21 inch plastic zip and two hook and eyes along the nape Size: UK 12-14 US 8-10 Condition: This dress is in perfect vintage condition, with very gentle wear to the fabric along the back of the collar. Washing instructions: This garment should be dry cleaned Fabric: lurex woven thread, cotton Vintage garments have been previously worn and lovingly cared for, they may however have a blemish or two. Here at Willow Hilson...Category
1960s Cocktail Dresses
- Vintage 1950's Lilac Watersilk Floral Dress UK 8 US 4Located in Cheltenham, GBRendered in the most delightful shades of lilac set against a dove grey background, this original 1950's floral water silk dress is just the piece to add to ...Category
1950s Cocktail Dresses
- Vintage 1950's Pink Swirling Satin & Tulle Dress UK 6 US 2Located in Cheltenham, GBThis iconic 1950's dress, rendered in layers of pink tulle, with delicate circular satin details, is just the piece for that special occasion. The strapless cut of the dress, featu...Category
1950s Cocktail Dresses
- 2003FW Gianni Versace runway gownBy Gianni VersaceLocated in CAPELLE AAN DEN IJSSEL, ZHIntroducing a breathtaking masterpiece: the mesmerizing purple Gianni Versace gown, expertly crafted by the visionary designer Donatella Versace. This remarkable creation hails from ...Category
Early 2000s Aesthetic Evening 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.