DIOR EN ROSES

CHRISTIAN DIOR GRANVILLE MUSEUM

    JUNE 5TH - OCTOBER 31ST, 2021

    The Dior en Roses exhibit is dedicated to the most prestigious flower of all, the rose, a favorite of Christian Dior, and takes place at his childhood home, Les Rhumbs villa in Granville. The rose inspired the woman-flower silhouette, first dreamed up in the Granville garden before coming to life in 1947 during the House's first fashion show. It was also a central element in the composition of several perfumes created, starting in 1947 and including the first one, Miss Dior.

    Rose is as much a flower as it is a color. Such is the color of the family home’s "soft pink rendering" according to the couturier's words, a reminder of the delicate color of the flowers that he would smell and admire in the rose garden dreamed of by his mother, Madeleine. It is the color of childhood, that of Good Little Girls, a famous novel by the Countess of Ségur, published in the Bibliothèque Rose (the Pink Library) and that inspired in 1939 a dress by Christian Dior, then a pattern maker for the couturier Robert Piguet. 

    Headdress made of silk wildflowers, adorned with bees, from the Spring-Summer 2017 Haute Couture collection. Christian Dior by Maria Grazia Chiuri, in collaboration with Stephen Jones. Photograph by Tierney Gearon. © Tierney Gearon.

    The mention of childhood and the Granville garden precedes the exploration of Christian Dior's 'other' gardens, inspired by the first one: that of Milly-la-Forêt, south of Paris, then the one in Montauroux in Provence, and the last, which enabled the couturier to "find in another climate the safe garden that protected my childhood." The rose is present, as it will be in the creations of his artist and poet friends: Raoul Dufy, Salvador Dalí, Leonor Fini, Christian Bérard and Jean Cocteau will also adopt this flower and color, which are ideal for innumerable variations in the worlds of poetry, art and fashion, all inextricably linked together.

      • Embroidered tulle dress from the Spring-Summer 2020 Ready-to-Wear collection. Christian Dior by Maria Grazia Chiuri. Dior Héritage collection, Paris. Photo © Laziz Hamani.
      • Bluebell Wood ensemble including a hand-painted silk velvet coat and a hand-painted long chiffon dress, Spring-Summer 1998 Haute Couture, Hommage poétique à la marquise Casati. Christian Dior by John Galliano. Dior Héritage collection, Paris. Photo © Laziz Hamani.

      From pale pink to red pink, sometimes linked to the world of little girls, sometimes to that of a femme fatale, pink is tirelessly used by Christian Dior and his successors for the Haute Couture pieces and accessories chosen for the exhibit: jewelry, scarves, bags, shoes… From one era and designer to the next, the variations are numerous: Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, Raf Simons previously, Maria Grazia Chiuri presently, all skillfully reimagine them in their own era.

      Finally, the exhibit reveals the effect of family history on the couturier's path, highlighting the exceptional personality of his darling little sister, Catherine, who made flowers her occupation and who was both a support and inspiration.

      Giving pride to one of the most beautiful flowers and a color with the most varied tones, the exhibit offers an original look at Christian Dior creations by interposed rose(s). Haute couture designs and accessories, works of art and decorative art objects offer infinite variations, thanks to exceptional loans from Christian Dior Couture, Christian Dior Parfums, Parisian museums: the Museum of Decorative Arts, the Pompidou Center - National Modern Art Museum…, as well as Norman Museums: the André Malraux Museum of the Havre (MUMA), the Avranches Museum, the Granville Museums… and private loans.

      Inspired by the House’s collections adorned with roses, a "Jardin de Granville" bed of roses, created by the André Eve company and offered by Christian Dior Parfums, unfolds on the main lawn, visible from the villa's winter garden.

      • Tableau Final formal gown, Spring-Summer 1951 Haute Couture collection, Naturelle line. Christian Dior. Photograph by Willy Maywald (colorized). © Association Willy Maywald/Adagp, Paris 2021.
      • Plaza cocktail dress in raw silk, with a decorative rose made from the same fabric, Christian Dior-New York, Spring-Summer 1956 collection. Christian Dior. Dior Héritage collection, Paris. Photo © Laziz Hamani.
      • Manuela dress in coral faille with a rose of the same fabric on the belt, Spring-Summer 1959 Haute Couture collection, Longue line. Christian Dior by Yves Saint Laurent. Christian Dior Museum collection, Granville. Photo © Laziz Hamani.

      THE CULTURAL PROGRAM

      Likely to be modified
      - Christian Dior Cup
      Gold Tournament on Sunday, July 18th, 2021
      Golf de Granville, in Bréville-sur-Mer
      Information at +33 (2) 33 50 23 06
      European Heritage Days
      Saturday and Sunday, September 18th and 19th, 2021
      Free entry to the museum, reservation required. Expect a wait.

      Currently on hold,
      may be reorganized
      according to health measures:

      - ‘Little Stylist' Workshop
      Public: kids, 6 to 12 years old
      From 3 to 4:30 p.m.
      Price: € 6 (reservation required)
      - ‘Perfumer Apprentice' Workshop
      Public: adults
      From 3 to 4:30 p.m.
      Price: € 6 (reservation required)
      - Guided visit of the exhibit
      Public: adults
      Price: € 12 (reservation required)

      Reservations: reservation@museechristiandior.fr

      USEFUL INFORMATION

      - Find us
      Christian Dior Museum and Garden
      Villa Les Rhumbs
      1, rue d'Estouteville
      50400 Granville
      T: +33 (2) 33 61 48 21
      musee@museechristiandior.fr
      www.musee-dior-granville.com

      - Dates and opening hours
      From June 5th to October 31st, 2021,
      Until September 30th: every day from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
      The box office closes at 6 p.m.

      From October 1st to the 31st: from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., from Tuesday to Sunday and every day during school holidays.
      The garden is open year-round

      Free access:
      September to June: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
      July and August: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
      October: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
      November to February: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

      USEFUL INFORMATION (2)

      - Sanitary Measures
      A face mask is mandatory
      Hand sanitizer is available
      Gauge reduction to allow
      social distancing.

      - Entrance
      Full price: € 9
      Reduced Price (handicapped, unemployed visitors and students): € 7
      Free for children younger than 12
      - Online Ticketing
      Reservation at
      www.musee-dior-granville.com

      - Group visit conditions
      Group price: € 7, starting with groups of 12 people.
      Mandatory reservation:
      reservation@museechristiandior.fr
      All access inside the museum
      - Between the museums: the entry ticket to the museum offers access with a reduced price ticket for a week to the Richard Anacréon Museum of Modern Art