Exhibitions | cheriecity.co.uk

Goya at The Courtauld Gallery, London

March 18, 2015 by cheriecity

Goya: The Witches and Old Women Album at The Courtauld Gallery is a fascinating new exhibition that explores the artist’s later works.

The ground-breaking exhibition reunites all of the known drawings from one of Francisco Goya’s private albums, produced between 1819 and 1823.

The eight albums (named A-H) were broken up after the artists death and scattered around museums and private collections, but the Courtauld’s curatorial team has brought together all of Album H and has presented it in its original chronological order.

The album features a number of ink drawings depicting haggard old women, demonic witches and ugly scenes. Critics have called them some of the most terrifying artworks ever created, since they reflect a cruel, diabolical side of humanity rather than pure fantasy.

At the age of 50, Goya suffered a near-fatal illness that left him deaf and profoundly changed his life and work. A sharp contrast to his work as court painter to the Spanish crown, these series of private albums reveal the visions of his nightmares and anxieties about life and death.

The drawings were produced at the same time as his acclaimed Black Paintings, when he acquired a property outside of Madrid. Not only were his drawings rooted in human nature, but they were influenced by the horrific war between Spain and Napoleon Bonaparte. A year after completing the album, he left Spain for exile in Bordeaux.

Some of the images are macabre, disturbing and unreservedly crude, such as the Wicked Woman which sees a bald, cloaked, monstrous woman about to devour a new-born baby.

Nightmare is equally harrowing with a deranged woman riding a bull with crazed eyes and flailing limbs.

Mirth, however, is rather tender and moving, showing an elderly couple gaze at each other fondly, with years of life experience and companionship in their eyes.

There’s also a touch of black humour in Showing off? Remember your age, chiding an elderly man for forgetting his frailty and mortality. Death looms throughout the album and Goya confronts the fear, melancholy and exhaustion of later life.

The exhibition is well-curated and understated, allowing the horror of the scenes to speak to the viewer. It’s a rare glimpse into Goya’s personal life and imagination, as dark and troubled as it may have been.

Goya: The Witches and Old Women Album runs until 25th May at The Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House. For more information, visit: www.courtauld.ac.uk

Photos of Goya: The Witches and Old Women Album by Chérie City

Events, Exhibitions, London

Pop-Up Mexico Exhibition, London

March 1, 2015 by cheriecity

Earlier this week, I headed over to the South Bank to experience modern Mexico in the heart of London.

To celebrate the Year of Mexico in the UK, a state-of-the-art pop-up pavilion has arrived in Potters Field Park (previously in Madrid and Beijing), offering an insight into the diverse, fascinating country.

The immersive event showcases the best of Mexico’s rich culture and history using cutting-edge technology. You can soar over Mexico City by hot air balloon, discover the unspoilt beaches of Cozumel, admire the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve and explore ancient Mayan temples with a 360 degree high resolution tour.

There’s also the chance to digitally try on traditional Mexican outfits, learn about art and ancient artefacts and journey through Mexico’s most famous sights via augmented reality.

A highlight of the exhibition is The Vochol, a Volkswagen Beetle decorated with more than two million beads with colourful, traditionally Mexican patterns. It took eight artists over 9000 hours of work to design and decorate – a real labour of love.

Mexico is understandably proud of its gastronomy and is the only nation to have its cuisine designated by UNESCO as of Intangible Heritage of Humanity. So who better to bring the flavours of Mexico with authentic, gourmet street food than London favourite Wahaca?

The Wahaca food truck is parked up outside the dome every day, offering freshly-made, mouth-watering tacos and burritos. I highly recommend the slow-cooked pork burrito filled with tender, juicy meat, green rice, crema and plenty of subtle spices – comfort food at its very best.

Wahaca founder and Mexico enthusiast Thomasina Myers has travelled extensively through the country and happily brings back those foodie discoveries and old family recipes for us to try.

Later in the year, the dome will travel north to Manchester, Liverpool and Edinburgh and there will be a series of events across the UK.

The Pop-up Mexico Exhibition is open until 12th March, 10am-8pm, at Potter’s Field Park (next to City Hall). Entry is free.

Have you been to Mexico? Which Mexican destination is top of your travel wish list?

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Art, Designers, Exhibitions, Fashion, London

Hello, My Name is Paul Smith – Design Museum

November 21, 2013 by cheriecity

Hello, My Name is Paul Smith at London’s Design Museum takes a personal look at the renowned British designer’s work, life and influences.

The exhibition begins with a recreation of the very first Paul Smith shop in 1970s Nottingham, measuring a tiny 3m x 3m. This leads on to the main hall, which features a vast collection of paintings, photographs, prints, magazine clippings and hand-writted fan letters from Paul Smith’s personal archives.

It shows Paul Smith as an avid collector, with a number of instantly recognisable images and original artworks.

Also recreated for the exhibition is Paul Smith’s personal office – a busy hub of inspiration and creativity. The designer himself held court in the office for a morning of interviews, while his narration throughout the exhibition gives an insight into his mind.

The next room is an artistic replica of the humble beginnings of the Paul Smith label in a Paris hotel room in 1976 (even then the trademark stripes were present). With a collection of just six shirts, two jumpers and two suits laid out on a black felt-covered bed, Paul Smith took his first client order. His first show at a friend’s flat on Paris’ Rue Vaugirard followed and the brand grew from there.

We are also treated to an inside look at the Paul Smith design studio in Covent Garden. This is where the ideas happen – where garments are designed, colours are paired and fabrics are chosen. Sketches and mood boards show the design process behind the collections.

Also on display are campaigns that Paul Smith has shot himself over the years, alongside those by David Bailey, Mario Testino and Sandro Sodano.

The exhibition also touches on Paul Smith’s successful collaborations with brands such as Evian, Thomas Goode, Mini Cooper, Roberts Radio and even HP Sauce. His love of cycling is also referenced with his collection of Rapha cycling jerseys.

Another room features behind-the-scenes footage of Paul Smith at work and his SS14 catwalk show in Paris, filmed by Sony and shown on Sony 4K TVs with impressive picture and sound quality.

Of course, the exhibition wouldn’t be complete without pieces from Paul Smith collections over the years, showing his signature exquisite tailoring, vivid colours and stunning digital prints.

Hello, My Name is Paul Smith is a dedicated, imaginative and personal view of the world of Paul Smith. The tributes to his wife Pauline Denyer Smith are touching and it’s easy to lose a few hours examining the wall of photographs and paintings.

Hello, My Name is Paul Smith runs until 9th March 2014 at Design Museum. For more information, visit: www.designmuseum.org

All photos by Chérie City

Art, Exhibitions, Istanbul

13th Istanbul Biennial 2013

October 19, 2013 by cheriecity

This week in Istanbul, we managed to get a last-chance look at the 13th Istanbul Biennial 2013 exhibition in Antrepo no.3, a cool warehouse space next to the Istanbul Modern in Tophane.

Curated by Fulya Erdemci, the biennial entitled ‘Mom, am I Barbarian?’ examines the concept of the public domain as a political forum.

The exhibition at Antrepo no.3 features documentary photography by LaToya Ruby Frazier, urban drawings by Christoph Schäfer and Tadashi Kawamata, video pieces by Mika Rottenberg and Halil Altindere and installations by Ayse Erkmen, Nathan Coley and HONF (The House of Natural Fiber).

The Istanbul Biennial brings the works of emerging and established artists directly to the public with exhibitions across the city’s art spaces such as ARTER, SALT Beyoglu, 5533 and Galata Greek Primary School.

Take an inside look at the works by exhibiting artists at Antrepo no.3…

13th Istanbul Biennial 2013 runs until 20th October at venues across Istanbul.

All photos by Chérie City

Designers, Events, Exhibitions, Fashion, London, Photography

Tim Walker Story Teller At Somerset House

October 18, 2012 by cheriecity

A highlight of the London exhibition calendar this season is Tim Walker Story Teller, a beautifully-curated vision of the fashion photographer’s otherworldly images at Somerset House.

Yesterday, I was treated to a special preview of the exhibition, led by Tim Walker himself. Supported by Mulberry, the exhibition takes place in the stunning new East Wing Galleries at Somerset House and focuses on Walker’s photography. The dazzling images are punctuated with over-sized installations, props and sketches, offering an insight into the painstaking production and mechanics behind the shoots.

The subjects of the photographs are mostly the cream of the fashion world – supermodels, designers, renowned critics, East End club kids and the more avant-garde actresses. In the exhibition we see Karen Elson as Little Red Riding Hood, Kristen McMenamy entrapped by a white spider, Alber Elbaz in bunny ears, Lindsay Wixson terrorised by a giant doll and Helena Bonham-Carter as a disgruntled queen wearing Vivienne Westwood and sipping on a can of Diet Coke.

There is also a rare chance to see the sheer size of the installations that feature in the photographs, including a melancholy crying skeleton, a creepy over-sized doll, insects playing double bass, a snail crawling down the wall and a full-size Spitfire plane.

The exquisite garments are a huge part of the visual narratives and Tim Walker’s images were just made for showcasing couture. Look out for masterful, extravagant dresses by Chanel Haute Couture, Oscar de la Renta, Jean Paul Gaultier Couture, Givenchy Haute Couture, Dior Haute Couture, Giorgio Armani Privé, Atelier Versace, Alexander McQueen and Valentino Couture.

One of my favourite images from the show is Stella Tennant wearing a Peter Jensen magenta gown and covered in vivid pink powder clouds, shot in the gardens of Eglingham Hall in Northumberland. Having grown up in Northumberland and spent countless summers visiting the county’s various stately homes, it was a delight to see Tim Walker’s dreamy scenes shot there, bringing the historic rooms to life.

To coincide with the exhibition, Thames & Hudson have published the most beautiful book entitled Story Teller by Tim Walker (£45), featuring over 175 images from Walker’s personal archives – some images can also be spotted in the exhibition. The book includes a foreword by Kate Bush, an introduction by Robin Muir and a poetic afterword by Tim Walker. I was lucky enough to receive a copy to add to my fashion book collection and it’s already one of my favourites.

Tim Walker Story Teller is like stepping into a dream world, and the exhibition perfectly presents the fashion photographer’s breathtaking, imaginatively styled, witty and often whimsical and ethereal images. Spend a few hours getting lost in Tim Walker’s wonderland – it’s a truly enchanting, enthralling experience.

Tim Walker Story Teller runs until 27 January 2013 in the East Wing Galleries at Somerset House and admission is free. Story Teller by Tim Walker is available to buy at Amazon.co.uk

For more information, visit: www.somersethouse.org.uk

Photos by Mulberry and Chérie City

Antwerp, Art, Designers, Exhibitions, Fashion, London, Paris

A Season Of Fabulous Fashion Exhibitions

October 4, 2012 by cheriecity

Summer in London was all about the Olympic Games and the Royal Family, but for autumn 2012, the focus is firmly back on fashion. What better way to ease into the colder months than in a cosy museum in the company of haute couture and beautiful photography?

See the very best fashion exhibitions in Europe this autumn…

Tim Walker: Story Teller, supported by Mulberry, explores the great fashion photographer’s mesmerising, often whimsical images created for the world’s top fashion magazines. Alongside instantly recognisable and rarely seen photographs, the exhibition reveals the mechanics behind the magical images with props and installations, including a giant doll and Spitfire plane.
– Somerset House, London – 18 October 2012 – 27 January 2013

Chloé Attitudes celebrates the 60 years of the maison founded by Gaby Aghion, with its first dedicated exhibition. On display will be key looks from each of Chloé’s nine designers, exploring the brand’s aesthetic and iconic signatures. It will be difficult not to feel a hint of nostalgia when seeing memorable designs by Karl Lagerfeld, Stella McCartney, Phoebe Philo and Martine Sitbon, alongside early creators and current designer Clare Waight Keller. Also featured are never-seen-before drawings and images of the Chloé woman by Guy Bourdin, Helmut Newton, Jeanloup Sieff and David Bailey.
– Palais de Tokyo, Paris – until 18th November

Madame Grès – Sculptural Fashion pays tribute to the elements of sculpture in Madame Grès’ designs, from her exquisite draping and Hellenic-inspired evening gowns to chic beachwear. The exhibition has been developed in collaboration with Belgian artist Renato Nicolodi and his works also feature. If you missed the Madame Grès retrospective at the Musée Galliera, Paris, this is a great opportunity to see the garments interpreted in a new way.
– Momu, Antwerp – until 10th February 2013

Valentino: Master of Couture celebrates Valentino Garavani’s nearly half-century in fashion and the artistry behind his brand. The dedicated three-part exhibition begins by focusing on Valentino’s personal life with photos from his archive, leading into a major survey of his haute couture, featuring an impressive 130 pieces. Finally, visitors are given a rare insight into the craft of couture, showcasing the intricate work of ‘les petits mains’, whose exquisite hand-sewing, beadwork and embroidery made Valentino a cut above the rest.

– Somerset House, London – 29 November 2012 – 3 March 2013

The Little Black Jacket is the travelling photographic exhibition to accompany Karl Lagerfeld’s book, ‘The Little Black Jacket; CHANEL’s classic revisited by Karl Lagerfeld and Carine Roitfeld’. The exhibition features 113 photographs showing the iconic Chanel jacket worn in a number of ways by such as Sofia Coppola, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kanye West, Waris Ahluwalia and Kirsten Dunst. See the exhibition before it moves on to Moscow, Sydney, Paris and finishes in Berlin.
– Saatchi Gallery, London – 12 October – 4 November

Art, Cafes, Exhibitions, Fashion, Paris

Wanderlust at Les Docks Paris

September 24, 2012 by cheriecity

Wanderlust, the multi-disciplinary space at Les Docks, Cité de la Mode et du Design, has proved to be the place to enjoy summer in Paris. Overlooking the Seine at quai d’Austerlitz, Wanderlust includes a restaurant, bar and club that also boasts the largest terrace in Paris and an 80-seat outdoor cinema.

Run by Savoir Faire – the people behind Social Club and Silencio (David Lynch’s cultural nightclub) – Wanderlust hosts a programme of cultural activities, collaborating with London’s V&A and the adjacent Institut Francais de la Mode. Events include fashion film screenings, sewing classes, children’s workshops, monthly food market and Sunday morning yoga and brunch.

At night, the terrace becomes a club with light shows and vido projection, featuring DJs such as Cassius, Busy P, M.A.N.D.Y, Gildas Loaëc of Kitsuné, Jean Nipon, Feadz and Yuksek. Le Baron also takes over the roof with its outside bar, next to the permanent Moon Roof restaurant and lounge bar.

The restaurant, with a menu by young chef Benjamin Darnaud, is a casual, hip cafe during the day which gets more lively at night. We visited for a cup of Dammann Frères tea in the late-afternoon, after viewing the two fashion exhibitions by Musée Galliera at Les Docks.

While the museum is undergoing an extensive refurbishment, it has created Galliera Museum Without Wall, featuring two exciting temporary exhibitions at Les Docks – Cristóbal Balenciaga: Fashion Collector and Comme des Garçons: White Drama.

Cristóbal Balenciaga: Fashion Collector celebrates the 40th anniversary of the great couturier’s death with 40 key pieces from his career dating from 1937 to 1968. The exhibition is fleshed out with Balenciaga’s sketches, lithographs, traditional Spanish dresses and garments from earlier centuries. The elegance of the embroidered silk ball gowns, black cocktail dresses and fitted skirt suits are an interesting contrast to the industrial, futuristic setting.

Comme des Garçons: White Drama shows Rei Kawakubo’s Spring/Summer 2012 collection in giant transparent plastic bubbles. White Drama references monumental moments in life, such as birth, marriage and death, with exquisite, all-white looks. Expect to see architectural silk dresses, ceremonial hoods, cocoon coats, bohemian crochet shawls, exquisite embroidery and lace bubble coats and elaborate headwear.

Both exhibitions are beautifully-presented and are just the right size to explore in around an hour and then explore the rest of Les Docks.

During our visit, it was Paris Design Week, so we visited Now! Le Off – a showcase of innovative products by leading design companies. Apart from the free copies of L’Officiel and Jalouse, my favourite discovery was this incredibly awesome ‘Blogger Chair’ – now that’s my kind of innovation!

Cristóbal Balenciaga: Fashion Collector and Comme des Garçons: White Drama run until 7 October 2012. Wanderlust is open from 12pm-6am, Wednesday to Sunday until 14th October at Les Docks, Cité de la Mode et du Design (34 quai d’Austerlitz – 75 013 Paris).

For more information, visit: www.wanderlustparis.com and www.paris-docks-en-seine.fr

All photos by Cherie City

Art, Designers, Exhibitions, Fashion, London

Hermès Leather Forever Exhibition At Royal Academy Of Arts

May 7, 2012 by cheriecity

This week, Hermès unveils new exhibition Leather Forever at Royal Academy of Arts, revealing the secrets behind the brand, from the design process to the exquisite finished pieces. Marvel at the fine leather and rare archived pieces and watch the artisans at work with live leather-working demonstrations.

The exhibition will take a historical look at the leather house’s 175 years, from a small producer of harnesses and saddles to a world renowned, highly coveted fashion brand.

A highlight of Leather Forever will be the extensive collection of accessories commissioned by the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Edward and Wallis Simpson.

In celebration of Leather Forever, Hermès has designed four one-off designs of its Passe-Guide bag – inspired by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales – to be auctioned for charity. Each has its own charm to represent the country and the Scottish bag includes tartan specially made for Hermès by Johnstons of Elgin.

Leather Forever is free admission and is open 8-27 May at 6 Burlington Gardens, London.

Art, Exhibitions, Guest posts, London

Guest Post: Little Card, Big City

January 31, 2011 by cheriecity

Matthew Miles explores fragments of London at The Urethra Postcard Art of Gilbert and George…

This new show from the most famous couple in art is not as bold, or as immediately beautiful, as some of their previous high-profile exhibitions. If you’re seeking the shock-factor of series such as the ‘Naked Shit Pictures’ you might be disappointed, but dig deep and there’s layer after layer beneath the mass-produced surfaces of ‘The Urethra Postcard Art of Gilbert and George’.

With 564 works piled high on the walls, and each featuring 13 postcards set out in exactly the same pattern, the exhibition is a tad daunting at first glance. From tourist shop views of Trafalgar Square to Union Jacks and the calling cards of gay or transgender sex workers, all the sets are laid out to form an angulated version of the sign of urethra, used by one-time theosophist C. W. Leadbetter (1853–1934) to accompany his signature.

The urethra carries semen out of men’s bodies and urine out of a female’s – production for some, and waste for others. And for me, this show is about the ebb and flow of the big city – the industry and consumption; the new and the redundant; the opportunities for anonymity and rebellious self-expression that exist simultaneously in places like London.

With health awareness messages next to patriotic chest-beating and rose-tinted views of historical landmarks, the show confronts us with hundreds of adverts. But the deeper connection is in imagining the lives on the other side of the cards – the people that bought them, scrawled messages on the back or tried to forget their wife as they phoned that S&M sex-worker.

Having a quick chat with Gilbert & George at the private view were Tracey Emin; Stephen Fry; Jay Jopling; Bianca Jagger; Courtney Love; Alan Yentob; Pandemonia and Konrad Wyrebek.

You start to imagine possibilities. What’s happened to ‘Transsexual Linda new in town’? Is she still out there, or does she have a new name online or in another city?

Some of the cards had a more personal tug and I began to wonder how I pictured my own future – the times I crossed Oxford Street in the mid-nineties, when a so-garish-it’s-tropical image of blue sky and red Routemaster buses was produced.

Konrad Wyrebek and friend

For big city people with a little time to spare, a visit to White Cube Mayfair could get you closer to the chaos and diversity of a seemingly anonymous and ordered place. Wish you were there?

Gilbert & George: The Urethra Postcard Art of Gilbert & George runs until 19 Feb 2011 at White Cube, Mason’s Yard.

Matthew Miles is a freelance arts and culture writer, photographer and video producer. To see more of his work visit: www.matthewmilescreative.blogspot.com

Antwerp, Designers, Exhibitions, Fashion

Knitwear Unravels in Antwerp

December 21, 2010 by cheriecity

Antwerp is known in fashion as the homeland of the sartorial avant-garde, having nurtured the careers of Belgian designers Ann Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten, Martin Margiela, Haider Ackermann and many more…

This Spring, the MoMu (ModeMuseum Province of Antwerp) dedicates a major exhibition to knitwear from the sculptural and subversive to exquisite couture pieces.

Unravel: Knitwear in Fashion shows key knitwear pieces by international and influential designers such as Ann Salens, Missoni, Sonia Rykiel and Vivienne Westwood – all noted for their individual approach to knitwear.

Also present will be historic couture pieces by Schiaparelli, Patou and Chanel, who used knitwear to soften the female silhouette throughout the war-stricken period of the early 20th century.

Pushing the boundaries of knitwear are featured unconventional designers Sandra Backlund, Maison Martin Margiela and Mark Fast.

So, it might be time to book that Spring break to Antwerp!

Unravel: Knitwear in Fashion runs from 16 March to 14 August at MoMu, Antwerp.

Art, Designers, Exhibitions, London

Sue Timney and the Design of Timney-Fowler at FTM, London

December 5, 2010 by cheriecity

Coralie Aude Grassin explores Timney-Fowler’s monochrome world at the Fashion & Textiles Museum…

Sue Timney is celebrating 30 years of iconic design on the fashion scene. Even still, her first creations retain a sophisticated look.

If you are not familiar with the artist, do rush to the Fashion and Textile Museum to discover this retrospective: this will get you hooked in no time!

What a great background she had for inspiration: her mother was Scots and her father’s family has a long history with the Indian army. She was born in Libya then moved to Germany, Newcastle and finally London where she studied at the Royal College of Art.

From her travels she carefully collected hundreds of postcards and labels in scrapbooks. Later, she switched to sketchbooks and would collate all kinds of fabric patterns and colours in rainbow rectangles.

She met her future husband, Graham Fowler, at the textile department of the RCA. Her post-modern style was already defined and would remain her signature throughout her career. After graduating, Fowler helped her to print her patterns on ties and t-shirts.

Taking a chance, they took a trip to Paris and succeeded in selling a lot to… Agnes B, no less! Success was on its way.

She later worked with Issey Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto, Ralph Lauren, Diane von Furstenberg…both for fashion and interior designs. Clothes, china, wallpaper, fabric: you named it, she thought of it.

Her work is hypnotising – at the same time reassuringly familiar, new, humoristic – look closely at the details, minute images arranged in a pattern.

You might think it is all random but Timney is a very precise artist, looking for the perfect shape, position and alignment.

Her natural curiosity pushed her to study a wide range of themes: tribal to tartan, neoclassicism and Japanese calligraphy, never copying but make the style her very own.

We loved the splashes of colours she added in the 80s, bringing a pop dimension to her shirts and scarves. There are also amazing examples of her collaboration with Linda McCartney – soft romantic hues you just want to wrap yourself in.

Who would have thought that life in black and white could be so beautiful? Now is the time to get yourself a little Christmas present – the shop sells a lovely selection!

Sue Timney and the Design of Timney-Fowler runs until April 25, 2011 at Fashion and Textile Museum.

Photos by Coralie Aude Grassin.

Art, Designers, Events, Exhibitions, Fashion, Guest posts, London

Dior Illustrated: René Gruau and the Line of Beauty

November 14, 2010 by cheriecity

Coralie Aude Grassin explores the elegant world of Christian Dior through the illustration of René Gruau at the private view at Somerset House…

Any woman will gasp at the name. We are talking haute-couture, glamour and chic. Dresses so beautifully cut they seem unreal, as if they had been sewn on the body – the essence of femininity.

To learn a little more about this magic, rush to the Somerset House’s retrospective of René Gruau, Dior’s iconic illustrator.

The two artists met in 1936, when they were both working in the fashion department of le Figaro.

They shared the same thoughts, the same visions: a friendship that also led to a fruitful collaboration of 50 years…

When Dior launched the New Look in 1947, there was no hesitation: Gruau was the one to illustrate it and he would have carte blanche.

Together they defined an elegant woman – radiant, clothes likes flower petals around her, mysterious, the femme fatale.

The war had just ended, the public now focusing on a joie de vivre. Ideal timing for a new style! Inspired by Japanese calligraphy, Gruau designs have a sophisticated and feline air about them.

In just a few lines, he creates a whole story and you could spend hours imagining the life of his characters.

He succeeds in capturing details: the position of a curl, the eyebrow innocently raised in a silent question, the half smile, the languid pose.

For Diorama, he paints a veil and gloves on a chair – the movement is such you could swear the woman was there a second ago, her perfume still lingering in the room.

So intense you feel you could step in the picture and grab those accessories…

My favourite part definitely is the male image he created. Imagine the readers’ shock when they opened their Figaro, looked at the Eau Sauvage ad and saw…black slippers, a pair of hairy legs, and a white bathrobe cut at the waist!

What a revolution: sexy yet relaxed. Although it was controversial at the time, it did prove a real success and more humoristic versions followed.

When Dior died in 1957, Gruau continued to work on the perfumes ads until the late 1980s – an unequalled era which inspired so many other creators: daring, sophisticated and timeless.

Even 50 years down the line, each piece remains as powerful. Magnifique!

Dior Illustrated: René Gruau and the Line of Beauty runs until 9 January 2011 at Somerset House, Strand, London WC2R 1LA

Photos by Coralie Aude Grassin

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