Evening coat

Christian Dior|House of Dior

ca. 1949 · silk · Costume Institute

Although Christian Dior had not yet designed a collection under his own name in 1947, he drew upon his experiences as a fashion illustrator and design assistant to create his first collection. Dior called it the "Corolle Line" but editors immediately dubbed it "The New Look" collection and their praise launched Dior's career. This evening coat exemplifies Dior's silhouette of 1947. The hipline has been padded on the interior and further exaggerated by oversized pockets which stand away from the body on the exterior. The midriff is tight and elongated and the shoulders somewhat broad and square. A pleat at the center back allows for even more fullness in the skirt of the coat. The length and fullness of the skirts in this collection heralded the end of the fabric rationing which had had a marked effect on fashion for the duration of the second World War.

Artist

Christian Dior|House of Dior

Date

ca. 1949

Medium

silk

Culture

French

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Mrs. William Dubilier, 1967