ISSUE NO. 31
In the last few seasons, we have seen brands taking their brands to the British Isles for their resort and cruise shows; most recently Gucci — that payed an homage to its founder Guccio Gucci and his work at the Savoy hotel in London — put on a show in the Tate Modern, in London. Chanel staged their 2023/24 Métiers d’art show in Manchester. Not being the most fashionable city, and more known for its pop-cultural influence, music scene and being a bit rough around the edges. Which became the inspiration for the collection itself.
Next in line to do the trip over the canal is Dior, which in early June invites guests to the Baroque-style, terraced gardens of the Drummond Castle, in Perthshrie, Scotland. When Dior are traveling across the channel to the isles, they are doing so with a lot of history in the luggage.
About 77 years ago, in 1947, Christian Dior revolutionized the fashion industry when he presented the New Look. The new look, wasn’t per se new, but instead fetched inspiration from the fashion of the interwar period in the 1920’s and thirties. It’s fuller silhouette, cinched waist and distinct shoulders presented a refreshing proposal, in the light of the war fashion had become more masculine-leaning and functional.
In the postwar-period, the new look was a change of trajectory for fashion and the fashion industry. It once again made Paris the capital of fashion, after years of London and New York on the helm. It made people to start dream again, after years of war. It made the editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar, Carmel Snow, to yell out ”it’s the new look!”, which ever since have become the name of the collection.
In the United Kingdom, Princess Margaret got rapt by this french designer. When Christian Dior presented his first collection in London, he invited members from the royal family to the french embassy for an intimate presentation of the collection. While Queen Elizabeth II, had to remain loyal to domestic designers. Princess Margaret had more creative freedom in her dressing choices.
For her 21st birthday, she commissioned Monsieur Dior to make her celebratory dress. The photo of the Princess sitting in the dress on a plush sofa, captured by Cecil Beaton, is today fashion history.
Seen as a fashion icon (move over, Lady D!), there couldn’t been a better person for Christian Dior to pique the attention from. It was also the start of a lifelong friendship; while the Princess got dressed in the latest fashion, the anglophile, Monsieur Dior, was welcomed in to the British society.
“There is no other country in the world, besides my own, whose way of life I like so much. I love English traditions, English politeness, English architecture. I even love English cooking.” Christian Dior one’s declared his affinity for Britishness.
In 1954, Princess Margaret was the guest of honor, when Christian Dior held a charity show at the Blenheim Palace to raise money for the Red Cross, at the same time he was entitled a lifelong honorary membership in the British Red Cross.
A year later, in 1955, Dior got invited by Friends of France, a charity set up during the war chaired by Lord Inverclyde, to hold a charity show in the Gleneagles Hotel, in Perthshire. What was the most memorable that night for Dior, wasn’t the show itself, it was the traditional Scottish dancing that followed.
“After the show, there was an unexpected contrast which delighted my French eyes: The parade of girls in their delicate evening dresses was succeeded by Scottish reels danced by magnificent Scottish gentlemen in their kilts,” he wrote in his autobiography, Dior by Dior, published a year before his death in 1956.
“It looked wonderful, but beneath the frenzied stampings of the dancers, the floor shook and bounced, and we were all nervous that it would collapse. Noticing the worried expressions on our faces, the Lord Provost told us that the wooden floor was specially constructed to shake beneath our feet, in order to give the reels added animation.”
The Gleneagles Hotel, was at the time a socialite destination, together with Deauville and Cowes. So the Hotel wasn’t new territory for the noble audience. When Dior will stage its show in the Drummond Gardens, about 15 kilometers from the Gleneagles Hotel, the audience will look different.
Dukes, Viscounts, Baronesses and princesses are today switched out to a new clientele. Dior, which is one of the brands that has the biggest roster of ambassadors, have a different audience, that doesn’t have the same experience of Scotland, as the one 75 years ago. The latest to join as an ambassador, Rosalía, might make an appearance at the Scottish countryside, she could then be joined by the likes of actresses Jennifer Lawrence, Elizabeth Debicki and Anya Taylor-Joy, or the K-pop superstar Haerin from the group, NewJeans.
In 1952, Christian Dior branched out to create Christian Dior London. By initiating collaborations with British manufacturers — Dents for gloves; shoes by Rayne (shoes); knitwear from Lyle & Scott, and Mitchel Maer did costume jewellery — they could easily oversee the production on the British territory.
In her previous resort shows, in Seville and California, she has fetched inspiration from local communities. In Scotland, she has a vast fashion archive to draw inspiration from; Scottish wool, kilts, tweed, plaid suits, tartan — could we get to see a Dior tartan?
Scotland is as much connected to its affinity for craft and clothing, as it is for mellow weather. The fact that Scotland has more sheep than humans, inhabiting their borders, makes Scotland one of the major regions for wool production. Its history run deep, and could be traced back to the 13th century and have been one of the biggest exports in the area.
Today the wool production in the area is economically struggling. Shetland wool and Harris Tweed is still seen as some of the finest fabrics, in clothing production. Its’s craftsmanship and quality is unrivaled. However, the competition from low-cost countries and mass production have put pressure on the Scottish manufacturers.
The one product that is most intertwined with Scottish wool is Tartan. The checkered pattern, made out of vertical and horizontal lines in a simple twill pattern. Historically tartans have been associated with Scottish clans, royals, or military forces. It could be seen in jackets, kilts, plaids, ties and so on. Ever since tartans have been produced by a slew of brands; Vivienne Westwood, Alexander McQueen — most famous, and debated, is the Nova Check produced by Burberry, which have clad the upper society, chavs, and football hooligans. The question is; are we going to see an outing of a cross border, tartan a la Dior?
By marrying the French maison’s artisanal approach with the tradition of Scottish craftsmanship, there is a certain closure of the anglo-french relationship between Dior and the Brits. Christian Dior once declared his love for British food. On the 3rd of June, there will, surely, be Scottish dancing, but will we see Grazia-Chiuri or Rosalía delve into a haggis?
ISSUE NO. 31
Lampoon is a cultural magazine.
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