1947
CHRISTIAN DIOR
“Bar” Suit
Jacket: spring/summer 1947; skirt: spring/summer 1947, edition 1969
Christian Dior, French, 1905–1957
Jacket of beige tussah silk; skirt of
black wool plain weave
Jacket: Gift of Mrs. John Chambers Hughes, 1958 (C.I.58.34.30); skirt: Gift of Christian Dior, 1969 (C.I.69.40)
2011
JUNYA WATANABE
Ensemble
Autumn/winter 2011–12
Junya Watanabe, Japanese, born 1961
Jacket of black leather; skirt of black polyurethane
Courtesy Junya Watanabe Comme des Garçons
Christian Dior’s 1947 “Corolle” line (named after the petals of a flower) was dubbed the “New Look” by Harper’s Bazaar editor Carmel Snow for its departure from the austere wartime silhouettes that characterized the first half of the decade. The “Bar” suit, which referenced late nineteenth-century styles, was one of the most popular models in the collection. With its wasp-waisted, hip-padded, round-shouldered jacket and voluminous calf-length pleated skirt, the feminine silhouette marked the beginning of a new fashion era. The “Corolle” line maintained its influence through the 1950s and the “Bar” suit has been reinterpreted countless times since.
Junya Watanabe explored the style through another classic garment, the motorcycle jacket, in his autumn/winter 2011–12 collection. Watanabe’s fashions are defined by bold experimentation but are nonetheless grounded in a rigorous knowledge of fashion history and a skillful mastery of technique. Working with black leather, Watanabe has retained fundamental details of Dior’s iconic “Bar” jacket, including a narrow waist formed by curved seams through the torso, a full hip accentuated by strategically placed zippers, and a rounded shoulder created by lowered shoulder seams. In his skirt, the designer mimics the effect of pleating by turning the seams inward, producing a fluted appearance.
Junya Watanabe explored the style through another classic garment, the motorcycle jacket, in his autumn/winter 2011–12 collection. Watanabe’s fashions are defined by bold experimentation but are nonetheless grounded in a rigorous knowledge of fashion history and a skillful mastery of technique. Working with black leather, Watanabe has retained fundamental details of Dior’s iconic “Bar” jacket, including a narrow waist formed by curved seams through the torso, a full hip accentuated by strategically placed zippers, and a rounded shoulder created by lowered shoulder seams. In his skirt, the designer mimics the effect of pleating by turning the seams inward, producing a fluted appearance.