01IN 1947 CHRISTIAN DIOR SHOWED HIS FIRST COLLECTION AT AVENUE
MONTAIGNE. CARMEL SNOW, EDITOR OF HARPER'S BAZAAR, TOLD HIM
HIS DRESSES HAD 'SUCH A NEW LOOK.' THE PHRASE STUCK TO THE
WHOLE SILHOUETTE FOR GOOD.
02DIOR CALLED THE LINE COROLLE, AFTER THE RING OF PETALS IN A
FLOWER. THE LOOK: ROUNDED SHOULDERS, A NIPPED WASP WAIST,
AND A SKIRT FALLING FULL TO MID-CALF. AFTER YEARS OF SQUARE,
RATIONED WARTIME TAILORING, IT LANDED LIKE A SHOCK.
03THE EMBLEM WAS THE BAR SUIT: AN IVORY SHANTUNG JACKET,
FASTENED WITH FIVE BUTTONS, PADDED OVER THE HIPS TO FAKE A
CURVE, ABOVE A PLEATED BLACK WOOL SKIRT. THE WAIST WAS DRAWN
SO TIGHT THE SHAPE READ AS PURE HOURGLASS.
04THE EXTRAVAGANCE WAS THE POINT, AND THE SCANDAL. A SINGLE NEW
LOOK DAY DRESS COULD SWALLOW ABOUT 15 METRES OF CLOTH, AN
EVENING GOWN NEARLY DOUBLE. TO EUROPEANS STILL ON RATION
CARDS, THAT READ AS AN INSULT.
05IT TURNED VIOLENT. IN PARIS, WOMEN REPORTEDLY TORE A NEW LOOK
DRESS OFF A MODEL IN THE STREET. IN AMERICA THE 'LITTLE BELOW
THE KNEE CLUB' PROTESTED THE HEMS. DIOR HAD REINTRODUCED
FABRIC AS LUXURY, AND NOT EVERYONE FORGAVE IT.
06WITHIN A YEAR THE NEW LOOK WAS THE SHAPE OF THE AGE, AND
PARIS WAS THE CAPITAL OF FASHION AGAIN. DIOR'S HOUSE WAS
BARELY MONTHS OLD. HE REBUILT AN ENTIRE INDUSTRY ON ONE
JACKET AND A GREAT DEAL OF CLOTH.