-Curator
Dior & Yamamoto: The New Look is a small exhibition that considers two
pivotal moments in the history of fashion through designers Christian Dior and
Yohji Yamamoto.
In the history of fashion, there have been
several moments that have entirely changed the way people dress. In 1947,
Dior’s debut spring collection completely transformed fashion from the angular
silhouette of the 1940s into softer feminine hourglass shapes with wasp-waists
and billowing skirts almost overnight. Carmel Snow at Harper’s Bazaar dubbed it the ‘New Look’. In 1981, Yohji Yamamoto’s
debut Paris collection also changed the course of fashion history—shaking up
the concept of Western-style clothing with a rag-like collection and throwing
the fashion world into controversy. His collections created a new vocabulary in
fashion which has altered its course. Yamamoto did not introduce this look
alone, but his work holds particular resonance with the work of Dior. This
project draws out some of those connections through selected garments,
photographs and prints.