Silk Shantung, Cotton Faille, Nylon Net, Synthetic Faille, Cotton Batting. (Photos by Joshua Purvis)
Inspired by Christian Dior’s “Bar” Suit, featured in his “New Look” collection of 1947. Minor variations of the original suit are held in museum collections around the world.
A model showcases the “Bar” Suit to patrons at Christian Dior’s company headquarters at 30 Avenue Montaigne, Paris, France, in early 1947. This “New Look” revolutionized fashion following the dour and masculine fashions of the 1940s.
The “New Look” as demonstrated by the “Bar” Suit is characterized by a small, nipped-in waist, a soft, rounded shoulder line, and a full skirt falling below mid-calf, which helped to emphasize the small waist.
The jacket of the “Bar” Suit is highly structured, though its lines are soft and flowing. The front hip is padded and tilts forward, while the back hip softly conforms and hugs the exaggerated hip of the skirt.
The half scale jacket is fully lined, and uses traditional tailoring methods in miniature scale. From collar to hem the jacket measures 12”, and across the shoulders 8”.
