dior at harrods

It's been a while since I've done anything fashiony (the last being Valentino's exhibition at Somerset House), so Dior's exhibition at Harrods was a timely move for me before I had to head home for the holidays.

I only had time to visit the pop-up exhibition on the 4th floor. Walking through the ridiculously priced children's clothes section to get to the exhibition was definitely daunting, like the £600 price tag on a tiny Dolce & Gabanna dress for a 2-year-old baby girl.

The 'So Dior' exhibition is funnily enough located next to the Disney Cafe - I suppose there isn't space available elsewhere. Nevertheless, once you walk into the space, fronted by an extraordinary, lit-up facade of a quintessentially French building with actual tiled floors, miniature furniture and perfume bottles behind the windows, you know you're in for a treat.

It's not a huge exhibition by all means, but quite a lot is packed into the compact space. I especially enjoyed the video clip with footage of the master couturier himself speaking of his designs and the gorgeous gowns on display. Despite the small collection, the dresses are all stunning, especially that iconic dress from Raf Simons' spring Couture collection, which is an absolute marvel to see in person. The tiny, tiny blooms that make up the fabric of the dress are tear-inducingly beautiful. Definitely linger and press your face up against the glass, it is the stuff dreams are made of.

I'm not the biggest fan, but there is a fair amount of space dedicated to the Lady Dior handbag, from some interesting reconstructions to a giant bag-sized screen which takes you through the making of iconic handbag named after Princess Diana.

All photos are my property.

please give me flowers

I know it's been a while yet again, but I've been swamped with job applications and interviews... real life sucks.

So the BoF newsletter led me to the fascinating profile of the man behind the flowery paradise of Raf Simons' first Dior show. Mark Bolle is a florist based in Antwerp and well-known amongst the fashion circles. Looks like the folks over at Dazed are quite smitten with Mr Bolle, who partnered up to create a rather eccentric and pointless short film called 'Fade Into You'. But I do love the photoshoot, which captures the beauty of the flower so much better - it's absolutely stunning.

I can almost smell the flowers... I can't wait to get roses from my boyfriend for my birthday next week!

Source: Dazed Digital

couture fall 2012 review: Christian Dior

Raf Simons is an interesting appointment to Dior. Simons' sharp sartorial architecture for Jil Sander is more than well-known, though I'm not personally a huge fan. From the brilliant, over-the-top Galliano to the rather understated Simons is, I think, a brave move on the part of Dior.

To be honest, I didn't expect to like this collection. How could anyone replace Galliano, who has produced some of the greatest couture pieces in history?

Well, Simons wouldn't. He doesn't intend to either. The first look, a sleek black pant suit, could easily slot into a Jil Sander runway show. I guess it was a clear statement that he'd be doing Dior his way. The Dior references were indeed present. There was the occasional dip into floral and bright hues, but only paired with tuxedo pants and simple silhouettes. The New Look was revived in the most amazing white organza strapless dress, 'embroidered with Pontillists degrade chiffon', a surprisingly refreshing look.

But the ultimate homage to the house of Dior was the insanely beautiful set made up of a million flowers. Cue a million sighs.

Source: Dior, www.style.com