Basic information:
Christian Dior (French, 1905–1957) for House of Dior (French, founded 1947)
“Quiproquo” cocktail dress, 1951
French
Silk, leather
Ensemble Deux-Pièces Grimoire en twill blanc imprimé de caractères noirs, Collection Haute Couture Printemps-été 1951, Ligne Naturelle.
19th-century rubbing from a 10th-century stele describing a sudden illness, a stomach ache
Rubel Collection C-74
Photograph courtesy of Special Collections, Fine Arts Library, Harvard University
The reason that I chose this dress is that I really like the brand Dior and I would like to further explore the history of the brand. I found this dress that was created in 1951 by Christian Dior. He traveled to Shanghai China and got inspired by calligraphy. The Chinese calligraphy is what historians of Chinese calligraphy informally and jocularly refer to as the “Bellyache letter” reputedly done by Zhang Xu, a master of cursive (the “Cursive Saint”) during the Tang dynasty. It really shows the brand’s idea that is stimulating encounters and encouraging discovery, so the dress is not only presented as a fashion piece but also has cultural significance. I personally really like the dress because I am from china, so when I do my design, I also like to put eastern elements combined with western style, it’s surprising to see how Dior could perfectly show his taste for the Orient through his designs, and also shows the Chinese culture back in 19s’.
