Suit: Jacket, Skirt and Belt

Christian Dior’s first collection, which he presented in Paris in 1947, was christened the “New Look.” It was such a success that the name Dior immediately became a household word. In a reversal of restrained 1940s designs, the New Look featured a cinched waist, padded hips, unpadded shoulders, and yards and yards of fabric.

Dior fueled an era of relentless change in fashion. Throughout his career he created two distinctly different collections every year, each with its own personality, its own innovations, and its own descriptive name. In 1954 he created the “H” line; in 1955, the “Y” line. The “A” or trapeze line appeared in 1956. Each of these collections was a “new look” emphasizing a new cut or shape to the clothing. Dior’s autumn 1950 “Oblique” line incorporated asymmetrical necklines and bodices, side fastenings, and spiral seams into the designs in innovated ways.

From 1947 to 1956 Dior’s designs followed one of two silhouettes. Skirts could be pencil thin or extremely full, but he paired each with a form-fitting bodice emphasizing a defined waist. This suit from the Oblique line is no exception. It has no lapels or collar, but features an attached scarf cut as an extension of the right-hand side of the jacket. The scarf wraps to the left-hand side of the body and is held in place by a leather belt. The jacket flares over padded hips and a slim, straight skirt.