This New Dior Exhibit on Peter Lindbergh Is So Stunning, It’s Worth a Flight to Paris
In 1947, Christian Dior spent two days in New York, where he would later recall in his memoirs, he was in “a continuous state of wonder.” It’s fitting, then, that nearly 70 years later, in 2018, photographer Peter Lindbergh traveled to the streets of Midtown Manhattan with more than 80 items from seven decades of Dior’s history, about 80 models, and a camera in hand. The shoot for Vogue Paris in 1988 was one of his last projects and perhaps his most ambitious—and for the first time ever, the prints of this project will be on view to the public.
Dior/Lindbergh, curated by Olivier Flaviano and on view through May 4, 2025, features more than 100 photographs taken by the late fashion image maker between the years 1988 and 2018. It will be held at Dior’s flagship, La Galerie Dior—which was recently given a face-lift by ELLE DECOR A-List designer Peter Marino—opening with the house’s iconic, waist-pinched Bar jacket, alongside polka dot dresses by Maria Grazia Chiuri. Lindbergh’s black-and-white portrayals of models posing against dirty industrial scaffolding come to life when accompanied by a mannequin featuring the Dior dress in the photo.
“This exhibition perfectly captures the relevance and timelessness of Dior and Lindbergh’s stance on beauty through empowerment,” Peter’s brother, Benjamin Lindbergh, tells ELLE DECOR. “Each work on display consistently testifies that allure lies in freedom and self-affirmation.”
Image curation matter a great deal to Peter, says Benjamin, who was involved in the exhibition’s behind-the-scenes work. The Manhattan project was “one [Peter would] spent months (and endless nights) working on, personally selecting the images he wanted to publish and putting them together in an unprecedented book.” Getting it right mattered to him—and thus to the whole team putting this exhibition together.
The photos are taken in the longtime Dior collaborator’s stripped-back verité style, giving a new energy to the fashion house’s iconic ultrafeminine clothing on subjects who weave among the city’s quotidian crowds: Irina Shayk stands demurely in the doorway of a shuttered storefront wearing a Gianfranco Ferré–designed gown; Alek Wek gazes wistfully away from the camera, donning a 1947 bar jacket that stands out against the blur of traffic; and Freja Beha Erichsen crosses a busy intersection in a black Raf Simons couture gown. Just a few of the 80 models he photographed that day.
The casual way with which they wore these iconic designer dresses—usually stored away in the house’s temperature-and humidity-controlled archive—like streetwear makes for an intriguing contradiction. “While haute couture is closely linked with an idea of perfection and the mastery of every detail, I wanted to transport 70 years of Dior creations to an unexpected place,” Lindbergh had said of the project.
Some of the exhibition’s most memorable photographs, however, go beyond that 1988 shoot. For Benjamin, the image of Linda Evangelista casually standing at a Parisian bar in a Marc Bohan for Dior dress “particularly resonates as the ultimate Lindbergh image,” he says. “This 1988 shot, initially published in French Vogue, captures Peter’s ideal woman: free-spirited, and spontaneous.”
Couture Brought to Life
Usually stored away in the house’s temperature-and humidity-controlled archive, each haute couture ensemble was carefully styled on a mannequin by a Dior archivist at La Galerie Dior in Paris.
Styling the Garments
Further adjustments were often made so the mannequin's body matched the dress's aesthetic.
Pins and Needles
Preliminary adjustments were also made so each dress fits to the mold of the mannequin.
Styling the Ensembles
Archivists prepped each look to ensure they were presented similar to the models in Peter Lindbergh's photographs.
Final Fittings
Some final adjustments were made for each garment's debut.
Adding Accessories
Accessories like hairpieces and jewelry complete the look.
Curating the Photography
Thousands of photographs were sorted through before the final curated collection for this exhibition became a reality.
Building the Sets
In the early stages of the exhibition, the Dior team arranged each garment with its correlated photograph.
Putting the Photography in Place
The photography installation required precise measurements and a keen eye for layout arrangements.
A Birds Eye View
The exhibit includes a miniature model of Dior’s flagship, La Galerie Dior.
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