Dior feminist style statement is Dress of the Year in UK

By

Sandra Halliday

Published
Dec 4, 2017

The Fashion Museum in Bath has added to its collection of trailblazing items with the choice of a Dior piece as Dress of the Year.

In fact, it should be Look of the Year as the ‘dress’ actually includes a jacket, skirt and all-important slogan T-shirt proclaiming that “we should all be feminists”.

Chosen by Sarah Bailey, Hearst Lifestyle Group’s Editorial Director, the slogan tee has been worn a host of celebrities including Jennifer Lawrence, Rihanna, Natalie Portman, Demi Lovato and even A$AP Rocky.
 
Bailey said: “I was very inspired by the appointment of Maria Grazia Chiuri at Christian Dior. I admired the vigour with which she immediately started challenging the conversation around women, creativity and the gendering of genius. Her social media campaign (before we even saw any of her designs) #TheWomenBehindMyDress – hero-ing the petits mains in the Dior atelier – was brilliant, moving and completely on point.

“When I saw her first collection come down the runway it was – again – utterly uncompromising in its message. All this and a beautiful interpretation of the Dior Bar jacket, a garment designed to take the modern woman of purpose anywhere.”
 
Meanwhile, the designer said that the collection “is a synthesis of what Dior once was and what it is today. It’s a starting point: to communicate with today’s woman and to imagine the woman of tomorrow. I wanted to send a message to young women who consider Dior a symbol of femininity.
 
“I think a T-shirt, because it is so basic, is the easiest way to display your ideas. The slogan takes over this blank space and plays with the political value of appearances.”
 
The Dress of the Year Collection at the Fashion Museum began in 1963, when the institution was founded. Since then, a leading commentator and expert on fashion has been invited each year to select a single piece or overall look from those shown by the world’s designers during international fashion weeks.

The Dior pieces have just gone on display at the museum and will be there until the end of next year as the 100th object in the A History of Fashion in 100 Objects exhibition.