grace: Christian Dior

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1960 Couture Evening Gowns and Party Dresses

Time to tell us, which is your favorite of these couture looks from 1960?

Christian Dior

Carven

Maggy Rouf

Jacques Griffe

Mme. Gres

Jacques Heim

Paris Cocktail Dresses, 1965

The hair! The jewelry! The make-up! But most importantly, the dresses! Today, cocktail dresses out of Paris, spring 1965.

Castillo black sheer cigaline over strapless satin lining.

Pierre Cardin pleated black crepe one shoulder dress with rhinestone bow.

Castillo black lace fitted dress with a ruffled lace overdress.

Simonetta black organza trapeze dress decorated with pleated ruffles
flares over a fitted underdress.

Dior white beaded flowers on silk organza with a matching mink trimmed jacket.

The Little Brown Dress

Christian Dior New York ribbed silk dress with a large bow draped across the bodice.

It is said that every woman should have a little black dress in her wardrobe. But if you subscribe to the "seasonal" skin tone theory, the only people who can truly wear black near their face well are those described as "winter". The rest of us should choose something less harsh like gray, navy, or brown. Granted, I wear black a lot, but rarely on top because I am a "spring". Black near my face tends to accentuate the rings under my eyes and makes me look tired. I do like to wear brown, though. It just works for me. What about you? Do you wear brown as a neutral in your wardrobe?

In the spring of 1949, brown was a popular color of choice for many fashion designers (especially M. Dior), as evidenced in these photos.

Omar Kaim for Ben Reig silk organza and satin evening gown with a large bow at the side.

Christian Dior Couture brown wool suit.

Jo Copeland brown tulle over taffeta dress with low decollete.

Christian Dior Couture silk dress with fly-away skirt panel at the back.

Weekend Eye Candy - Christian Dior, 1971

Another incredible coat, this one by Christian Dior, Fall/Winter 1971. Stripes of black, red, and purple leather are accented with black fox fur. The make-up was done by Serge Lutens. Remember him?

Weekend Eye Candy - Christian Dior, 1949

Staying warm in a Christian Dior red wool coat with black fox fur at the sleeves, 1949.

Weekend Eye Candy - Christian Dior, 1997

John Galliano for Christian Dior Haute Couture, Autumn 1997 two piece suit of gray wool tweed. The jacket peplum is padded and references the jackets of Dior's New Look of 1947. Worn with a choker made of 35 rings of silver. From the collection of the Kyoto Costume Institute.

Serge Lutens for Christian Dior - 1973

Between the comments here and on Facebook, we had guesses from every decade between the 1920s and 2010 except the 1940s. And Benjamin made an interesting point about the ban on tobacco advertising in 1971 in the US, but this image was published in a French magazine! The decade that got the most guesses was the correct one. This image is from 1973.

In 1973, Serge Lutens designed this look for a series of French advertisements for Christian Dior cosmetics. The ads were entitled, "Les Aventureux de Dior", which translates to "The Adventurous (or Daring) Ones of Dior". The cosmetics, created by Lutens, included smoky eye colors and deep, dark red shades for lips and nails. Angelica Huston, who worked with Lutens in the 1970s, is quoted as saying that it usually took him 4 hours or more to create a look like this on a model's face.

Serge Lutens was born in 1942 in Lille, France. He experimented with makeup and photography as a teen, using his friends as models. In 1962, Lutens moved to Paris and was hired by Vogue magazine to do hair and makeup styling for photo shoots. It was there that he had the opportunity to work with Richard Avedon and Irving Penn. Christian Dior hired Lutens to create a cosmetics line in 1968.

The Dior cosmetics line has become one of the most successful in the world. It was Serge Lutens' styling and photography for the advertisements that helped propel sales in the 1970s. In 1980, Lutens left Dior to work for Shiseido Cosmetics, and he worked the same magic for that company through memorable advertising images.

For "Les Aventureux", Lutens used 1920s style gamine hairdos with very strong eyes and a bold red bow mouth. I find the images arresting and haunting. This isn't makeup. This is art.

In this video, you can watch Lutens at work creating the makeup look for the photo shoot.

Paris Couture Suits - 1961

On the Paris Couture runways for Spring 1961, designers showed suits in pastel colors as well as pale neutrals. Pink was the standout color in all shades, from blush to deep rose. Jackets were generally shorter and boxier with a softened shoulder line and sleeves ranged from elbow to bracelet length. Big buttons were a prominent feature. Skirt length was at the knee or slightly below. Here are some of the best.

Before Pierre Cardin's Mod looks became wildly popular, he designed classic suits and dresses. Here, his mauve pink wool suit has a loose-fitting jacket with a scallop at the hem. It closes with a large mauve flower at the neckline. The jacket is lined in printed silk chiffon.

Lanvin Castillo's rose pink wool suit features a curvy short jacket with elbow length sleeves and a stand-away collar.

Nina Ricci departed from the rest of the couture pack by showing a longer hip-length jacket, here layered over a matching sheath dress. The jacket, in gray worsted wool that reverses to beige, is closed with a loop at the side waist.

Jacques Heim curves the short jacket of this suit up in the front to expose a bit of the printed silk organza blouse. The suit is of a pink silk/linen blend.

In his first collection for Dior, Marc Bohan showed this suit in pale gray tweed. The jacket has a cut-away front and sloped shoulders. A shorter sleeveless shell in the same tweed is under the jacket.

Weekend Eye Candy - Christian Dior 1948

The perfect hat for spring, this 1948 cartwheel of pink feathers is by Christian Dior. Wide hats like this were worn to balance the new fuller skirts that had just been introduced the year before.

Paris Couture - 1966

How about a little Parisian couture from the Fall of 1966 today? Yes, I thought so.

Left: Christian Dior black silk crepe dinner dress with a wide band of silver sequins at the empire waist and at the same level on the upper arm. The long sleeves are slit to the wrist.
Right: Christian Dior black silk crepe evening gown with cut-outs at the back accented with diamanté ball buttons.

This cut-out style was destined to be copied by nearly everyone. I've sold numerous 1960's cocktail dresses with interesting cut-outs at the back. This is the original.

Lanvin black silk crepe evening gown is circled in stripes of pink, acid green, and black sequins at the bodice. Interesting squared-off armholes.

Patou coatdress in cream double-faced wool that has been cut on the bias. Welted seams tame the bias. Worn with ribbed tights, kidskin boots, and a wool cap over a silk head scarf.

Left: Philippe Venet back wrap coat in neon yellow brushed wool fleece.
Right: Philippe Venet back wrap coat in cream wool fleece. Has a belt and a slit at the front hem.

OK, I have to comment on these coats. They close in the back. Interesting, but I can just see myself trying to figure out how the heck this was worn if I ever found one of these at an estate. I would more than likely have put it on the mannequin backwards and wondered why it wasn't falling correctly and why the pockets were on the back!

Yves St. Laurent grey wool coat with a flared fit and big silver disc buttons.

Yves St. Laurent black wool coat fitted at the bodice and flaring below the waist. Accented with big gold disc buttons.

New at Couture Allure - Vintage Dresses, Purses, Hats, and a Dior Suit

This week, at Couture Allure, we've added a new collection of vintage purses and vintage hats for fall, as well as several great vintage dresses.....oh, and a 60's Dior Pret-a-Porter suit.

This early 1960's genuine black alligator purse is an all time classic and will never go out of style.

This 1950's hat is fashioned of brown velvet surrounded by brown feathers with jaunty little dingle balls hanging from the side. Fun, no?

Here it is, the vintage 1960's Christian Dior Pret-a-Porter suit. Considered a step below the Haute Couture line but a step above the Boutique line, the Pret-a-Porter contains many of the hand finished techniques as the couture, but was made in standard sizes rather than being made specifically for one client. This late 1960’s suit was designed by Marc Bohan for the Christian Dior Pret-a-Porter line and comes with a matching silk blouse and scarf.

Victoria Royal, Ltd. was a maker of fine beaded evening gowns and cocktail dresses in Hong Kong. This 1960's Mod era wrap dress by Victoria Royal is completely covered in black sequins and big square paillettes.

We love 1950's full skirted dresses by American designer Anne Fogarty. She always seems to get it just right. This 1950's circle skirt dress by Fogarty is fashioned of magenta velveteen.

There's nothing like a great sweater dress to help your wardrobe as you transition from summer to fall. This 1950's body-hugging black wool boucle knit dress by Kimberly is a wardrobe basic that you'll wear for years.

Weekend Eye Candy - 1957 Roger Vivier for Dior Shoe

@1957 - Fuschia satin court shoe decorated with tiny bows and paste rhinestones was designed by Roger Vivier for Dior. Look at the shape of that heel!

Weekend Eye Candy - 1972 Christian Dior Luggage

Speaking of luggage, I would love to own this 1972 Christian Dior carry-on tote bag from the Dior luggage line. Dior monogrammed canvas with brown leather. Yum.

Dior Evening Dress - 1949

Oh, how I wish this photo was in color! The year: 1949. The designer: Christian Dior. The dress: Simply magnificent.

Dior covers a strapless ballerina length dress with masses of flowers for his Spring line. Sprinkled among the pastel blossoms are notes of blue-violet. Dior accessorizes the dress with a violet leather belt and a violet Juliet cap. Perfection.

Want to see a larger view? Click on the photo.

Vintage Evening Gowns - Ricci, Dior, Scassi, and Teal Traina

September 1961 - Nina Ricci gown in emerald green satin worn with a matching green satin coat edged in blue fox fur. Glittering earrings and a coiffure that makes a statement are all she needs.

December 1957 - Scassi ball gown in pale green silk moire has an asymmetric hem that dips to floor length in the back. Worn with a matching coat that is lined in white fox fur. Accessorized with satin shoes, white gloves, and sparkling earrings.

October 1960 - Dior strapless platinum grey silk satin gown with a large rose at the dropped waist and tulip shaped skirt. The model carries a flocked tulle wrap and wears black satin shoes and a bow at the back of her head.

December 1966 - Teal Traina charcoal silk chiffon column dress decorated with rows of silver paillettes. The matching stole worn as a head wrap. Coordinating clogs were made by Herbert Levine. The model wears a huge Charles Elkaim cocktail ring.

Dior

Christian Dior (January 21, 1905 – October 23, 1957), was an influential French fashion designer, best known as the founder of one of the world's top fashion houses. He was born in Granville, Normandy, a seaside town off the coast of France. The actual name of the line was Corolle (roughly petal in French), but the phrase New Look was coined for it by Carmel Snow, the editor-in-chief of Harper's Bazaar. Dior's designs were more voluptuous than the boxy, fabric-conserving shapes of the recent World War II styles, influenced by the rations on fabric.[1] He was a master at creating shapes and silhouettes; Dior is quoted as saying "I have designed flower women." His look employed fabrics lined predominantly with percale, boned, bustier-style bodices, hip padding, wasp-waisted corsets and petticoats that made his dresses flare out from the waist, giving his models a very curvaceous form. The hem of the skirt was very flattering on the calves and ankles, creating a beautiful silhouette. Initially, women protested because his designs covered up their legs, which they had been unused to because of the previous limitations on fabric. There was also some backlash to Dior's designs form due to the amount of fabrics used in a single dress or suit--during one photo shoot in a Paris market, the models were attacked by female vendors over the profligacy of their dresses--but opposition ceased as the wartime shortages ended. For the duration of World War II, Christian Dior dressed the wives of the Nazi officers and French collaborators. The New Look revolutionized women's dress and reestablished Paris as the center of the fashion world after World War II.