Vintage Dior: Fashion Show at Blenheim Palace, 1958

In 1958, Yves Saint Laurent at just 21 years old and having taken over design duties from Christian Dior the previous year, presented the house's winter collection at Blenheim palace to Princess Margaret for some reason, a guest of the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough. The event was to benefit the British Red Cross as the 1650 guests paid 5 guineas each. (That is old English currency, I live in England and I've never heard of it!)

The models were referred to then as 'mannequins', the French word for model (which the English narrator pronounces 'mannakaah'). 

The narration from this era never fails to entertain. From the film of the event: "A short evening gown with chic and style such as only the house of Dior - according to the house of Dior - can give." And at the end "Dior himself is...dead. But in the world of haute couture, it's 'The king is dead, long live the king..."

 

 

Those ladies in front are saying 'I am so not wearing that.'

 

 

Are you seeing the awesome eyeball stand-off between those two girls in front?

I like to research things a bit and I came across this newspaper clipping from The Age, November 6, 1954. Now, as the headline suggests, Dior came to Blenheim Palace four years earlier. But it was actually Christian Dior who designed and accompanied the haute couture collection which debuted his famous 'H' line - a slender tunic suit with a slim skirt that later became more of a dropped waist tubular twenties style dress with a hemline that was creeping upwards.

 

Comments

[francesca]

These dresses are orrendous, women are ridiculous dressed like lampshades.

[Denise @ Swelle]

Francesca - lucky for you this was 50 years ago. But if you didn't like these dresses you might want to steer clear of Viktor & Rolf.

Denise

[VintJunky]

Well i think these images were just beautiful! I adore the little pillbox hat and tiered fur skirt outfit

Thanks for this denise,

Nic xxx

[PinkBow]

this is a great post. i started to read the ysl/lagerfeld book but despite it being interesting was quite heavy going. such an interesting period in fashion.