Next spring the Victoria & Albert museum in London, is set to open the doors on the largest and most comprehensive exhibition ever staged in the UK, on the House of Dior. 

Opening its doors on February the 2nd, Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams will be the V&A’s second largest fashion exhibition after 2015’s monumental Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty, however, it’s worth noting it will be the first to be hosted in the museum’s Sainsbury Gallery. The exhibition is based on the hugely popular Christian Dior: Couturier du Rêve exhibition which ran at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. from July 2017 to January 2018, yet the show has been reimagined for the V&A. 

Across eleven theatrical sections, the exhibition traces the history and impact of one of the 20th century’s most influential couturiers, and the six artistic directors who have succeeded him, to explore the enduring influence of the fashion house. In 1947, Christian Dior changed the face of fashion with his New Look, which redefined the female silhouette and reinvigorated the post-War Parisian fashion industry. The influence of Christian Dior’s design was all-pervasive and helped to define an era.  

In bringing the show to London, the curators decided to add a brand-new section, exploring the designer’s fascination with British culture; from the grandeur of Britain’s great country houses where Dior staged several spectacular fashion shows (including Blenheim Palace in 1954), to the impeccable tailoring of Savile Row and Dior’s obsession with British Royalty and the aristocracy. The fairy tale Dior dress Princess Margaret wore for her 21st birthday celebrations will be on display (a particular highlight for anyone who’s watched the scene in The Crown when Cecil Beaton takes her picture wearing it) alongside an exploration of the private shows Dior arranged for the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret. 

“More than seventy years after its founding, the V&A’s exhibition celebrates the enduring influence of the House of Dior and reveals Dior’s relationship with Britain,” says Oriole Cullen, who curated the exhibition for the V&A. 

Drawn from the extensive Dior Archives, the exhibition presents over 500 objects, with over 200 rare Haute Couture garments shown alongside accessories, fashion photography, film, vintage perfume, original make-up, illustrations, magazines and Christian Dior’s personal possessions. It also showcases highlights from the V&A’s world-class Couture collections.  

V&A Director Tristram Hunt, stated; “Christian Dior’s masterful artistry and craftsmanship created a high fashion legacy that has endured now for over seven decades, this exhibition will be a defining moment for fashion at the Victoria and Albert museum.” 

Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams will run from February the 2nd to July the 14th, 2019 at the Victoria & Albert Museum’s Sainsbury Gallery.