christian dior
Spring 1961 Christian Dior by Marc Bohan Debut Haute Couture Collection Jacket & Skirt Suit Set
- The twin of this set was presented for the Spring 1961 Dior Haute Couture collection.
- It was made under the creative direction of Marc Bohan.
- This incredible set is from the debut Haute Couture collection of Marc Bohan.
- It has the added province of being documented and we have included a reference photo of its twin from that era.
- The book Dior, Catwalk talks about the reaction to this first collection by Bohan; "Thundering applause, led by the Duchess of Windsor, rolled through the elegant grey and white salons of the House of Dior, the happy ending to the suspense story of the fashion year. At stake was the future dominance of Dior, and the career of designer Mark Bohan.
- The Chicago Tribune hailed him as being "Mister Dior, the third".
- The New York Times stated "the shouting, clapping, surging mob at the press show cause chaos in the elegant salon. Bohan was pushed up against the boiserie, kissed, mauled and congratulated. Chairs were toppled. Champagne glasses were broken. People were knocked down. It was a complete triumph for the designer".
- The book goes on to state that; Bohan called the collection the "Slim Line". It was a streamlined take on the original "New Look". He revisited the day suit with wide cut jackets and low waisted flared skirts fitted at the hips. The Times declared it "a success from the appearance of the first model and worthy in the tradition of the great maestro himself. And Women's Wear Daily wrote three months after the collection was shown that "the Bohan flare is everywhere. Bohan has done the impossible. He is a big commercial success and respected by the fashion intellect."
- Both pieces were made entirely by hand in the Paris atelier.
- The set is exceptional and is an excellent investment piece from an important debut collection in the label's history.
- Both pieces are made from a very high end silk twill that has been hand dyed to a pale tan mixed with abstract partial striping running over it in white.
- The jacket has a loose and oversized fit in a soft boxed cut.
- The shoulders are soft and extend into wide cut sleeves that sit to just past the elbow.
- The cut of the jacket is very unusual. It has a row of large mother of pearl buttons that are mainly decorative. Only the very bottom button is functional and closes. The others are meant to stay open above that.
- The button holes on the other side of the opening do not open all the way through. You can see in the photo of the model that hers is the same and that this was done intentionally.
- It was shown belted in the reference photo and I have added a wide silk sash to have the same feel and add shape.
- The skirt curves over the hips and flares out in a series of flat pleats all the way around.I took a photo if the interior of the skirt so you can see the incredible workmanship.
- When you stand still the skirt lays more flat and smooth but when you move you get an incredible burst of movement and volume.
- Both pieces are entirely finished by hand to Haute Couture standards. It is very chic and elegant yet still feels edgy. An amazing find.
- The jacket is fully hand lined in a matching silk and the panels of the skirt are individually backed in a hand set white silk organza. The jacket closes with the bottom button as described above. There is a hidden snap to help hold it perfectly in place. The skirt closes with hook & eye at the waist and hidden snaps below that. It is completely made by hand to Haute Couture standards. The proper numbered couture label is present. There are some natural variations and lines in the silk that is inherent to this type of fabric and should not be considered a flaw. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
- There is no size tag present since it is true couture and was made to order. Please go by the measurements listed below
- Excellent condition
Jacket
Dropped shoulders: 16-17"
Bust - waist: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Bottom hem: 19" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 24.5" from neck to hem
Skirt
Waist: to 13" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: to 21" flat across from side seam to side seam
Total length: 27" from waist to hem with 2" turned under the hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD4484
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Please review all measurements carefully. More often than not, vintage garments do not fit any size category exactly. If in doubt, measure a garment of your own that fits and is a similar cut and compare it's measurements to the listed measurements below.





























