Lost and Found

LOST: on a roadtrip from Portland to San Francisco
FOUND: a sea of sunflowers

A Leading Light of the Twentieth Century

Fashion designer of the late 1940s and 1950s, Christian Dior, greatly influenced fashion after World War II with the introduction of the first hourglass silhouette in his “New Look.” Equally as significant but less known was the new business model for the post-war fashion industry that Dior established and practiced. Dior's reputation as one of the most noteworthy fashion designers of the twentieth century began in 1947 when his “New Look,” characterized by rounded shoulders, a small waist, and a full skirt hit the market and boomed from then on out. Dior’s designs purely commemorated femininity and luxury in women's apparel.

Dior was born in Normandy, France, and moved to Paris with his parents as a ten-year-old. There he studied political science and later served in the military. Dior’s parents hoped he would complete a degree in politics, which would prepare him for a diplomatic career. In 1928, his father gave him enough money to open an art gallery, as long as the family name did not appear above the door.

After returning to Paris in 1935, Dior began selling his sketches, marking the beginning of his career as a designer. Dior was exposed to great design talent through working with designers like Robert Piguet and Lucien Lelong in the late 1930s. With the help of textile manufacturer and entrepreneur Marcel Boussac, Dior opened his own design house in 1946 with a record-breaking budget of FFr60 million. Soon after, the house of Dior and its eighty-five employees moved into a mansion, which was extensively decorated in Dior’s favorite colors, white and gray.

The first Christian Dior couture show took place on February 12, 1947. The pubic’s reaction to Dior’s designs was easily described as enthusiastic and impressed. “It’s quite a revelation dear Christian,” declared editor of the United States’ Harper’s Bazaar, Carmel Snow. “Your dresses have such a new look.”

The New Look was just what the fashion world was missing in the post-war era. Dior was accurate in presuming that women would desire something brand new after a time of war, violence and hardship. Dior’s traditional concept of femininity fit the political agenda as well. Women were forced to leave their farm and factory jobs and return to passive roles as housewives and mothers as the soldiers returned home from the war. The role of post-war women was to be an able, loving housewife who maintained a happy home for her family, and Dior’s lines catered to these women perfectly.

In Spring 1947, Dior produced "figure 8," which accented the New Look’s silhouette with prominent shoulders, emphasized hips, and a pinched waist. His spring 1953 collection, "Tulip," included many feminine, soft prints. Dior’s Spring 1955 "A-line" featured a much smoother silhouette that broadened at the hips and legs, similar to the capital letter "A."

While Dior’s aesthetic gained huge popularity among the public, many looked up to him as an innovator of French culture.” [Dior] was so famous in France at the time. It seemed as if he wasn’t a man, but an institution,” said French fashion designer Christian Lacroix. Dior’s name was known across the globe and his label accounted for half of France’s haute couture exports.

Dior and partner Jacques Rouet also established license agreements in the fashion industry. By 1948, Dior had set up profitable licensing deals for fur, stockings, and perfumes, producing great revenue and establishing himself as a household name.

As Dior’s career flourished, the prosperous designer bought an old mill outside of Paris and a flower farm in the heart of Provence, where he wandered with his dog, Bobby, gardened, and collected art and antiques. Dior had always been bashful, so he left the social aspect of his career to his lively sales director, Suzanne Luling. Growing more and more superstitious with age, Dior’s quirks were apparent in his career. Every collection Dior designed had to include a coat called the “Granville”, named after his birthplace. In runway shows, at least one model wore a small bunch of lilies of the valley, Dior’s favorite flower. Dior never started a couture show without first consulting his tarot card reader.

The fashion world was sadly left without a king of style on October 24, 1957 when Dior passed away from heart failure at the age of 52. Although Dior designed under his own name for only one decade, his influence will be forever remembered. Dior’s faultlessly classic fashion innovations will remain ever-present in styles for years to come.

Lace-up Boots Find a Place in an Array of Fashion Identities

Women are taking a more rugged approach to footwear with the popularity of the lace-up boot. Often paired with skinny jeans or tights, boots with metal hardware and thick laces running up the ankle look vintage-chic and appeal to those who seek comfort in addition to fashion.
We’ve seen that fashion has become increasingly inspired by menswear. Boyfriend jeans, military jackets with patches and emblems, blazers, and oxfords are the latest trends that fueled an array of smaller trends. The lace-up boot family, in which combat and Victorian varieties belong, has been recently introduced into the fashion world and corresponds with the ever-present masculinity in current trends.
The combat-style boot first came about with the establishment of the authentic lace-up boot company known as Dr. Martens. With a chunky rubber sole and a strong leather construction, Dr. Martens are renowned for their durability in addition to their iconic value. Throughout the boot’s history, the “punk” crowd proved to be their target customer. Those who weren’t quite gutsy enough to don a pair of Dr. Martens but sought a similar lace-up boot needed a style that was a bit more classic and feminine.
Many of the lace-up boots that are on-trend today strike similarity to the traditional Victorian boot with a pointed toe. Made of cream, mahogany, and black leathers, the Victorian lace-up boot is a more elegant approach to the combat boot, often decorated with embellishments such as leather fringe and metal eyelets. While classic Victorian boots from the 1800s often had a tall heel that narrowed towards the middle, the updated style of the boot sports just a short, wedged heel. Victorian boots attract those who buy used garments and footwear, as this variety of boot is more vintage-inspired than the Dr. Marten-style combat boot.
While lace-up boots have already hit the department stores, the more authentic shopper may find just the boot they are looking for in vintage clothing stores, Goodwills, or used online. Frayed laces, scuffed soles, and ripping seams only add more character to lace-up boots, as this shoe should not portray a polished, conservative look.
The fact that the lace-up boot can be worn in both masculine and feminine directions makes them versatile and quite possibly a new style staple. Throw on a flannel, skinny jeans, and wool socks with a pair of combat boots for an ostensibly careless yet still fashionable look. Paired with a lacy, vintage dress, tights, and layered jewelry, the worn and torn boots turn into elegance at its best.
The lace-up boot will prove to be an admired and trendy item because of their ability to attract every persona. After polling three seventeen-year-old girls, I found that combat boots not only appeal to the punk and indie crowds, but of many others in between.
While one girl’s wardrobe was comprised of neon spandex, another’s of feminine, conservative garments, and the third’s style reflecting her down-to-earth nature and simplicity, all three promptly agreed that they would love to own a pair of lace-up boots as a part of their fashion identity. The interviewees valued combat and Victorian boots for their comfort, versatility, and individuality from the common choices of street footwear. Taking what the lace-up boot has to offer into consideration, it is plausible to deem this boot as the most commendable, fresh addition to footwear today.