The Datebook Summer 2019 | Page 12

By Richard Fitzwilliams
Christian Dior: Designer Of Dreams
VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM
T
his is perhaps the finest
exhibition celebrating a
designer ever staged in
Britain. It honours Christian
Dior, a master of haute
couture and a genius whose
meteoric rise was legendary
and whose vision redefined
the female silhouette. His
legacy has been continued by
six artistic directors and
numerous examples of their
work are also on display.
Special attention is paid to his
connection with Britain where he
first launched his brand in
1950. A year later he designed
a glorious dress for Princess
Christian Dior by John Galliano
(b.1960), Haute Couture,
AutumnWinter 2004.
Photo ©Laziz Hamani.
Dior Hé ritage collection, Paris.
Margaret’s 21st
birthday and the
photograph of her
by Cecil Beaton
wearing it against
the backdrop of a
magnificent
tapestry is
sublime. She
became one of
his most devoted
clients and a
series of artefacts
celebrate his links
with British
manufacturers.
Richard Fitzwilliams
director of Dior, Maria Grazia
Chiuri, who has a feminist vision
of fashion, are specially
recognised with examples of
their work and with documentary
footage to illustrate their
different styles.
Princess Margaret (1930-2002), photo Cecil
Beaton (1904-80), London, UK, 1951. ©Cecil
Beaton, Victoria and Albert Museum, London.
Dior was inspired
by the lavish style of court dress
worn at Versailles during the
18th Century. Here we see a
model of the Temple of Love
which he used to market his
Miss Dior perfume and which
contains examples of gorgeously
embroidered outfits. Another
section illustrates his love of
flowers and how he was
influenced by gardens. The
sumptuousness of the décor
heightens the beauty of his
creations which are displayed
under silvery foliage. He believed
that “after women, flowers are
the most divine of creations”. He
loved the Belle Epoque and was
seen internationally as the
personification of French
elegance.
Dior’s sumptuous ball gowns
were synonymous with allure
and opulence and are displayed
in a sizeable room which
constantly changes colour as if
by magic and has a painted
ceiling which does likewise. This
fascinating, fairy tale world is
mesmerizing.
There is also film of the catwalk
shows to illustrate the
extraordinary talent of the House
of Dior. Special sections show
the influence of other cultures.
The exquisite accessories on
display are another example of
the perfectionism which
characterised everything by Dior
and there is a section devoted
to the ateliers who produced so
much of beauty. A great many
sketches, a pivotal part of the
creative process, are also on
show.
The contributions of Yves Saint
Laurent, Marc Bohan,
Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano,
Raf Simons and the current Unobtrusive piano music is the
perfect accompaniment to a
visit to this amazing exhibition
which is an unforgettable
example of unparalleled
lavishness. It transports you into
a fantasy world which is uniquely
sybaritic and is also an example
of truly wondrous talent.
All About Eve, Gillian Anderson and
Lily James ©Perou. ambiguity. Its characters all
inhabit a world of betrayal,
rivalry, egotism and duplicity
which nonetheless is outwardly
so glamorous. This eagerly
awaited production is often
colourful and enjoyable and I
certainly found much of it
diverting. However it is also
pretentious and director Ivo
van Hove, who is famed for
being innovative, might benefit
from Polonius’s dictum in
Hamlet, “more matter with
less art”.
It could be argued that in
including so much film footage,
all the action is filmed, adding a
voyeuristic touch as its
characters so covet the
limelight, this play pays homage
to the film. This bittersweet love
letter to the theatre is rich in To convey the real glow of
stardom it is obviously
essential to use performers
who have real star quality. The
irony here is that though both
the major parts require it,
neither of the actors playing
them possess it!
All About Eve
NOEL COWARD THEATRE
“F
asten your seat belts,
its going to be a bumpy
night” says Bette Davis’s
Margo, in a memorable quote
during the party scene in the
film, scripted and directed by
Joseph L. Mankiewicz, from
which this is adapted. If only
it had had the same impact,
as it seeks to show the
compelling and irresistible
allure of stardom which both
attracts and corrodes. Here Gillian Anderson plays
Margo, but she is cynical rather
than charismatic. Lily James as
her fiendishly ambitious
understudy is also all surface
with little emotional range. As
the manipulative critic Addison
DeWitt, Stanley Townsend is
perfectly adequate but not
memorable.
Eve is a star-struck nobody who
becomes the assistant and then
the understudy to Margo, an
established actress, all the while
intending to supplant her. She
achieves this goal by ruthless
scheming which includes a
Faustian pact with an influential
critic. This was unforgettable on
screen when Bette Davis and The production is dominated by
the device of having much of
the action take place on a huge
screen above the stage but what
is shown is erratically chosen. It
is a bold concept but instead of
building up the tension, it only
works occasionally. The set is
gigantic but all too often the
actors seem dwarfed by it.
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THE LONDON & UK DATEBOOK
Anne Baxter, both top Hollywood
performers, played the leads.