Dior travelling exhibition: Catwalk down memory lane

Dior's travelling exhibition of past designs is a celebration of the love for living life in style.

"The show must go on" is a phrase that is believed to have originated in the 19th century. Though it is most commonly used in theatre, it was first coined by the circus industry. If a performer, human or animal fell sick, the ringmaster would say, "The show must go on". That evening's performance could be adapted, but of course the audience would never know that there was an absentee performer. Since there were no understudies in circus troops, the team would work together and ensure that the show went on as normal. Today, this phrase can be used in many industries from hotel, to media to fashion.
In the recent few weeks, we have heard of many fashion exits. Alexander Wang took his last bow as creative director for Balenciaga last month at Paris Fashion Week. He came into the brand three years ago, after the departure of Nicolas Ghesquiere, a self-taught designer whose collections turned the brand around, giving it a second lease of life. While Ghesquiere spent 15 years at the label's creative helm, Wang stayed at Balenciaga for three years only. He is reported to have said, "I feel like I have graduated like it's the last day at school", after his last show for the brand. Balenciaga, is owned by the French multinational Kering (that also owns Gucci) and has seen a growth in revenues in the past few seasons. Kering has already replaced Wang with Demna Gvasalia, a Georgian fashion designer who has lead teams at Maison Martin Margiela and Louis Vuitton. It seems that a change of creative directors in the end do not affect the business of fashion.
About two weeks ago, Raf Simons' announced that he was leaving Christian Dior for "personal reasons". Like Wang, he worked as creative director for just over three years. And though Simons breathed a new modernity into Dior, it seems the designer never really felt at home at this French luxury brand. He once said in an interview, "I don't experience it as something that I have to make mine.It's not mine."
Then just last week, the Moroccan-born Israeli designer who revived the house of Lanvin, Alber Elbaz, announced that he was to part ways with the fashion's oldest surviving label. These departures have lead fashion commentators to question the very state of fashion. Are creative directors of fashion houses under too much pressure? Are creative directors given the respect they deserve from the fashion conglomerates that own most fashion labels? Has fast fashion changed the whole nature of fashion, and is high fashion now losing its relevance to high street fashion? These and many more questions have been asked and debated in the last week.
Well, the reality is the show must go on. After Dior's demise in 1957, it was thought the house would not recover, but a 21-year-old Yves Saint Laurent was promoted to artistic director. The house went from strength to strength. This is the power of the brand. More recently, for example, when John Galliano left Dior in scandal after making anti-Semitic remarks, the industry wondered who would take over from fashion's most celebrated showman. A year later, it was announced that Belgian designer Raf Simons would take over and so started Dior's more minimalistic take on fashion. Simons has brought a new energy to the label, yet it was still Dior complete with bar jackets. And now while the hunt is on to find who will head the next chapter of Dior's life, Dior continues with its fashion calendar of events.
Dior is of course the jewel in the crown of the LVMH group. From Marlene Dietrich to Natalie Portman, it has always been a favourite with women of style. And starting this weekend is "Le Theatre Dior", a travelling exhibition which previously was held in China. From November 9 to 24 at Dubai Mall, over 60 handmade miniature versions of designs from the archives of this French design house will be on display. It is a testament to the brand's history. Designs from Christian Dior himself as well those designed by Dior's other creative directors: Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferre, John Galliano and Raf Simons will be on display. Also look out for replicas of dresses worn by celebrity style setters such as Elizabeth Taylor, Princess Diana and Jennifer Lawrence. Starting with Dior's "New Look' collection of 1947, that heralded a new era of fashion, to Simons' midnight blue bustier dress, each outfit is made with the same precision and meticulous detail as a look from the Dior runway.
The exhibition celebrates the spirit of Dior's love for living life in style. For Christian Dior, grand society balls were important occasions about grandeur and splendor that were a necessary part of post-war life. Dior was a man who enjoyed a good party, and would be a regular at the grand balls of Venice and Paris. And, of course, many of the society women who attended the balls would wear Dior. A tradition that still continues today. At the end of this month, Le Bal des Debutantes takes place in Paris, where 25 young women from around the world are invited to be a part of this "coming out" ball. Forbes magazine has called "Le Bal", as it is known, one of the 10 hottest tickets of the year. And this season on list is Navya Naveli Nanda, the granddaughter of Amitabh Bachchan, and of course she has chosen to wear Dior. Many previous Le Bal invitees have selected Dior, including Lauren Bush and Dree Hemingway. It seems that the legacy of Dior himself still lives on as he once said, "the couturier is a magician who wants to make every woman a princess."
Of course, the schedule of "Le Theatre Dior" was probably planned before it was known that Raf Simons would part ways with Christian Dior, but it's timing just a few weeks after the announcement just proves for luxury fashion, "the show must go". Though as of yet no one knows who will replace Simons - though many feel the now Lanvin-free Alber Elbaz would be a fitting choice, for Dior it is business as usual.
(Le Theatre Dior, from 9 November until 24 November in Dubai Mall Fashion Catwalk Atrium.)
The writer is Khaleej Times Consulting Fashion Editor

• Dubai