Haute Couture (or 'High Fashion'), as the name suggests, is not for just anyone. It is the pinnacle of fashion, made specifically to the exact dimensions of the wearer, in high quality, luxurious fabrics, virtually all by hand (the seams are machine sewn), and a single garment can take up to 4 months to make. But, when it comes to Haute Couture, you're not just buying a piece of clothing; you're buying a piece of art!

To fully appreciate Haute Couture and the workmanship involved, you need to look beyond the exterior at the cut, stitching and underpinning. So, we've decided to turn one of our Dior garments inside out, the one we believe belonged to Mrs Elizabeth Parke Firestone (or her daughter, also called Elizabeth).

Please click through the images above to see more detail.

Image No 1 - The complete suit.

Image No 2 - Front of the bodice - right way out - showing the extra details you can't normally see when worn. There is a zipper which extends beyond the line of the garment to prevent bulkiness around the bottom, black elastic to attach to the stockings and buttons which fasten to the inside of the waist - all intimate details which help to keep the garment close-fitting and securely in place. From the waist down, silk has also been used instead of wool, to take away that added bulk which would be apparent from having two layers of wool.

Image No 3 - Front of the bodice - inside out - there is blue padding on the breasts to create fullness.

Image No 4 - Back of the bodice - inside out - here you can better see the extended zipper, which has been put in by hand rather than machine sewn.

Image No 5 - Skirt - inside out - on the waist of the skirt are fasteners to which the buttons on the bodice can be attached.

Image No 6 - Jacket - inside out - there are spare buttons sewn to the inside of the swing back jacket. As you will also notice, everything is lined to prevent the scratchy feel of the wool against the skin.

Image No 7 - All of these underpinnings help to make the suit smooth fitting, slimline and elegant.

Melanie Pitkin
Assistant Curator, 2009

Note: this article was written for the Museum's "Object of the Week" Blog. "Object of the Week" can be found under Online Resources on this site.

+ Christian Dior
+ Fashion
+ Haute couture

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