Lunchtime Lecture: Modelling for a Legend

Join Svetlana Lloyd for an insider’s view of Dior's collections were put together, how the House functioned, as well as filling in Christian Dior’s biographical details. Svetlana Lloyd joined the House of Dior as a ‘mannequin’ to take part in Dior’s last collection and St Laurent’s first: the triumphant Trapeze line.

Christian Dior looked so unassuming and ordinary that nobody would have suspected that here was a genius, not only of fashion creativity but also of outstanding commercial sense and publicity. Immediately World War 2 ended, Dior unerringly guessed women’s secret yearning for femininity, gentleness and the, almost forgotten, luxury of yards swirling fabric in their clothes.

Dior hated all excess; he wished to flatter the female shape, yet to allow audacious touched within an elegant tradition.

Visit our SoundCloud channel to listen to past Lunchtime Lectures: soundcloud.com/vamuseum/sets/v-a-lunchtime-lecture-series