Decoding Dior: a George Brown College & Rom Collaboration

DECODING DIOR: A GEORGE BROWN COLLEGE & ROM COLLABORATION

In honor of 70 years of Christian Dior fashion, an original exhibition at Royal Ontario Museum launched celebrating the first ten years of Christian Dior haute couture. The museum worked in collaboration with George Brown College to analyze the designer’s creative process and techniques, and to decode the historical and technical construction of some of Dior’s iconic pieces, known as the “New Look.”

Pamplune, Autumn -Winter 1948 Line Ailée Afternoon dress (and coat) Example of underarm gussets Flou Amande, mannequin Marie-Thérèse sleeve opening Professor Berta Pavlov from George Brown College wasWool c repeasked to sketch,

This deceptively simple day dress is a laboratory of ideas, textiles and labor. The front and yoke are sleeve measure and analyze the patterns for ten of the Dior cupiecest in one piece crea tining the thesmooth, s ocollection.ft New Look shoulder. The skirt is 32 strips inset with 64 gusset triangles/gores. Each inserted pleat is assembled from 2 triangles/gores with 3 seams each, requiring 96 skirt seams and over 63 meters of stitching. The seams guarantee the perfect fall. It is a The museum had the pieces donated, but they had nostagg ehistoryring amount of time neeofded tothe make th ispatterns. dress that weighs 4 lbs. an d has a circumference of side body back FRONT VIEW 842 cms / 27'6" inches. Mitered back side body front facing Using 2D and 3D CAD/CAM tools, Pavlov and her studentsSuede, Autumn- Wresearched,inter 1951-52 BACK VIEW

Line Longue FOLD Evening gown illustrated, and documented the patterns to study in Mdepthonique Flou, man ntheequin Marie intricacies-Thérèse Back yoke Silk satin 13-Buttons and bound buttonhole behind Dior’s designs. She also simulated two of the Thdesignse enormous skirt on thi s onevening gaow n3D (45'6" cir cmodelumference) required tocarefu l planning and hours 5/8 topstitch on back yoke connection of sewing. It weighs 8.5 pounds, but as Dior wrote, "What did the weight of my sumptuous materials underarm ...matter? When hearts were light, mere fabrics could not weigh the body down. Abuunderarmndance was still gusset Side bust dart gusset too novel for there to be any affectation of simplicity." see that the 2D pattern fit like the original. Example of pleat strip insert Waist nished inside with grograin ribbon

side dart

By using 3D tools for testing fabric and fit, Pavlov and her students were able 33 slits x 2 = 66 pieces to save time in their research. “With the Pamplune dress it was a real opener,” says Pavlov. “The lower part of the dress is 66 pieces, making up 33 gourds. The

example of fabric was also expensive, and I wouldn’t have had time to sew up that piece 2 pieces make 1-godet into one slit Pamplune, Autumn -Winter 1948 while sampling, but to see it come together on a 3D model was exciting and Line Ailée

crease Afternoon dress (and coat) crease Example of underarm gussets Flou Amande, mannequin Marie-Thérèse sleeve opening cost-effective.” seam Wool crepe seam seam

This deceptively simple day dress is a laboratory of ideas, textiles and labor. The front and yoke are sleeve cut in one piece creating the smooth, soft New Look shoulder. The skirt is 32 strips inset with 64 gusset triangles/gores. Each inserted pleat is assembled from 2 triangles/gores with 3 seams each, She also mentioned how it was great to visually see the patterns and fit come to requiring 96 skirt seams and over 63 meters of stitching. The seams guarantee the perfect fall. It is a staggering amount of time needed to make this dress that weighs 4 lbs. and has a circumference of side body back FRONT VIEW life on a 3D simulated model. 842 cms / 27'6" inches. Mitered back side body front facing Suede, Autumn-Winter 1951-52 BACK VIEW

Line Longue FOLD Evening gown

Monique Flou, mannequin Marie-Thérèse Back yoke Silk satin 13-Buttons and bound buttonhole

The enormous skirt on this evening gown (45'6" circumference) required careful planning and hours 5/8 topstitch on back yoke connection of sewing. It weighs 8.5 pounds, but as Dior wrote, "What did the weight of my sumptuous materials underarm ...matter? When hearts were light, mere fabrics could not weigh the body down. Abuunderarmndance was still gusset Side bust dart gusset too novel for there to be any affectation of simplicity." “This is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to work with 3D. Example of pleat strip insert Waist nished inside with grograin ribbon

side It’s amazing how I can take patterns, test out, and save on so dart much sewing time.” 33 slits x 2 = 66 pieces Professor Berta Pavlov, George Brown College

example of 2 pieces make 1-godet into one slit

crease crease

seam

seam seam Apart from her own research and collaboration with ROM, Christian Dior -Zigomar Jacket Front & Back & Skirt

JACKET FRONT VIEW JACKET BACK VIEW

Pavlov integrates Optitex 2D and 3D tools into her teaching, FOLD Top of back neck folds inside for facing nish shoulder dart dart

shoulder dart FOLD

FOLD and even opened a course on digital pattern making and Double layer FOLD

Double layer

2-Buttons size & buttonholes on top & lower front underarm Side Panel (Hook & eye gusset 3D for students to learn how to work with the software. at waistline seam) Jacket Waist Elbow (Hook & eye at waistline seam) dart Dart This allows her to keep up with industry needs and teach Pocket Pocket from dart end

seam not directly on side & connects towards back seam not directly Vent on lower center back and nished with lining students the skills and tools used in the industry, to help on side & connects towards back

SKIRT FRONT VIEW SKIRT BACK VIEW them be the best employees in the future. back entry (2-hook & eye on WB)

(bias cut inside waist lining)

Welt Inseam Pocket (welt not stitched down)

dart stitch point For someone who moved from print to digital, Pavlov values technology and its capabilities as the future for design 3D is a key part of moving forward and for my own seam to seam and fit. “ Side pleat Side pleat CB box pleat research,” she says. “I can test fabric fit, use different fabrics, and even see how one pattern can fit depending on the drape of that fabric. With 3D, I get first-hand knowledge.”

“As a pattern maker who’s been in the industry for 35 years, I see 3D as a wonderful tool, especially when it comes to sample trials where you can take a 2D file, and in hours be able to test it and bring pattern pieces in a 3D format.” Professor Berta Pavlov, George Brown College

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