Dior Exhibit Traces 60 Years Of Cinema

Dior exhibit traces 60 years of cinema Associated Press Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Updated 12:30 a.m., Friday, May 11, 2012 GRANVILLE, France (AP) — Going back to where it all began, a new exhibit in the childhood home of legendary designer Christian Dior in Normandy sheds new light on the house's huge contribution to the silver screen. The setting also provides rare insight into how a young Dior, who liked to spend time in the garden, became inspired by the Granville landscape and decided to dedicate his life to fashion. The exhibit features a rare collection: three floors with 50 glittering gowns, worn by actresses including Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor and Rita Hayworth, both on and off the screen from 1942 to the present day. Standing against a huge photo of Hayworth reclining in an intimate setting with Dior — it's visual proof that from the outset, cinema stars swarmed around the house. True enough: the exhibit testifies to the house's staying power, ending 65 years later with the black tulle bustier worn by French actress Marion Cotillard's at the 2009 Academy Awards. Another actress deeply linked to the house was fashion icon Marlene Dietrich — who loved Christian Dior so much she moved just down the road on Avenue Montaigne. Beyond the exhibit, the museum and surrounding gardens hold many clues as to what drove Dior artistically — both in his theatricality and the aesthetic codes. A series of personal blows swiftly plunged Dior into the experience of adulthood: his beloved mother died unexpectedly in 1931, and the Wall Street Crash forced the family to sell the house not long after.