Fortunately, for my readers, my “reach” extends far beyond
the here and now. With that being said, via a serendipitous stream of events, I
was recently able to communicate with the late great Christian Dior. He and I were
able to discuss a few very pressing topics and some which only border on the
frivolous. Monsieur Dior was quite a coup for me as I have not been able to
reach that far back with my previous subjects who have included Mademoiselle
Chanel, Yves St Laurent, the wondrous Diana Vreeland and even the surreal Mademoiselle
Schiaparelli.
On February 12 we will celebrate the 67th anniversary
of Monsieur Dior’s first show which debuted in 1947. With that in mind and in
his eternal memory, may I offer my “impossible conversation” with “the king of
fashion” … Christian Dior
1-WHAT IS YOUR
CURRENT STATE OF MIND?
I am quite happy, tres
content, now with no worries of what I eat or when the next collection will be
ready or what the new dress lengths should be. I just wish that fashion was
more chic and less democratic...n’est-ce pas??
2. WHAT DO YOU THINK
OF THE PRESENT STATE OF FASHION?
Mon Dieu! As Holly
Golightly would say... Quel mess!! I don’t recognize the world of fashion in
Paris. Too many young designers of little talents who think that designers need
words to explain their clothes... mais non... the clothes should speak for
themselves! C’est vrai? Oui?
3. WHAT DO YOU THINK
OF THE CELEBRITY/MODEL IDEA?
I really don’t care
much as I was always more concerned about who wore the clothes rather than the
clothes being worn by...you see my point... tu vois? For me it was always about
“mes robes” and not the clients. I knew all the great clothes horses, the great
social doyennes and the greatest of film stars. I just wanted them all to wear
beautifully made clothes that were well designed.
4. WHAT DO YOU THINK
OF REALITY STARS TURNED INTO STYLE ICONS?
I do not “comprends”
this idea of trash being famous because they had sex or just because they are
social rejects. I want nothing to do with them. They are of no interest to me
and I prefer they do not ever wear anything that has my name attached.
5. WHO ARE YOU SORRY
YOU MISSED DURING YOUR CAREER?
je
suis désolé...how you say... sorry that I never got to see the meteoric rise of
Yves or what le pauvre Galliano did for
my legacy. I would have loved to discuss construction with McQueen or even
Mugler. They understood the mécaniques of fashion and design. I am so sad to
have missed Madame Vreeland and Avedon and the likes of Polly Mellen
6. WHAT’S YOUR ADVICE
ABOUT STARDOM?
You must enjoy your
fame while you can and never forget
that the business is about beautiful clothes and not about you. Oh and PLEASE take care of your health
as life can be very short!!
7. WHAT WAS YOUR
CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT?
I had many and only
some were associated with fashion. Oui, yes of course the New Look and yes of
course my grey maison. I was able to do many things that gratified me such as my
interest in art and my garden, mes jardins, mes fleurs. And my beloved
Granville. And of course there is the legacy of my name which was made possible
when that young man Arnault bought my suffering brand and transformed it into
the behemoth that it is today. Merci Bernie!
8. WHAT WOULD YOU
HAVE CHANGED ABOUT YOUR CAREER PATH?
I only wish I was able
to design more and spend more time in my gardens and enjoy my life that was so
good to me. I do not think I would change anything other than I wish I spent
more time doing what I“J’adore!”
9. WHO WAS YOUR
FAVORITE DESIGNER?
This is a very
difficult question since I have so much time to re-examine the world of fashion
these days. There are some famous designers and not so famous but I would lie
if I said I was not in awe of Cristobal... I may have been “the king of
fashion” but it was he who was “the master of us all!” Beside the most
“incroyable” of designers, he was such a man of great elegance.
10. WITH WHOM WOULD
YOU LIKE TO SPLIT A BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE?
NAME ONE OR MORE
Aaaaaaah so many I need
to speak with, but so many are already living nearby, I will have to search
them out and take a café with them and hear about fashion as they saw it... oh
pardon .. The question, yes... Yves, And Alexander, Diana, Ferre and then the
ones who have yet to make an appearance here like the bad boy Galliano or maybe
that young woman Sarah. There are few greats and so many who are impostors.
11. WHAT IS THE
QUALITY YOU MOST ADMIRE IN OTHERS?
Diligence and devotion
and being a cultivated human being who appreciates home and art and fashion as
well as cuisine and flowers.. Of course the gardens.
12. WHO WOULD YOU
LIKE TO MENTOR IN THIS GENERATION?
I would like to “watch
over” a few designers who may not be as well-known as they should be and that
is because you are not blessed with editors or fashion arbiters who have good
taste or are sage enough to appreciate talents without worrying about ads or
graft or speaking the truth... ah le question... there is a designer in
California I like because he has so much of my personality, sensibilities and
nature … and of course they understand design ..Oh yes... excuse moi!! LOYD/FORD...oh
you don’t know... Well you need to look, open your eyes and learn and then
there are those in France like Andrew Gn, Giamba and even that rascal Mabille.
13. DO YOU THINK
FASHION/CELEBRITY IS TAKEN TOO SERIOUSLY?
Comme I say deja... you must not forget this is a business of
clothes not the personailities who werar them. Today these almost famous women
wear clothes that they are paid to wear or receive for free...bah … merde! This
is not fashion or fame
14. WHO DO YOU THINK
HAS LITTLE TALENT AS A DESIGNER/PERFORMER/ARTIST?
OOOH la la... there is
not enough time to speak of these unfortunate souls who only believe that they
are talented. Yes les pauvres who don’t realize that they are only famous for
the clothes and not for their thoughts... without the clothes many would be
professeurs or maybe... oh how you say … garcons de courses... aaaah... messengers
or delivery men... oui the kind who ride bicyclettes! I am deeply saddened with this Raf character
who talks too much and tries to mangle my ideas into monstrosities that do not
deserve my name… little Bernie needs to wise up!!
15. HOW WOULD YOU
LIKE TO COME BACK IN A SECOND LIFE?
I would like to try my
life as a haute monde Martha Stewart en francais or maybe even be the designer of my own brand
again as the world has changed and there are so many countries and ladies to
now consider.. I want to come back and enjoy my life to the fullest with no
memories of war or deprivation.
No comments:
Post a Comment