Dior’s ‘Dreammaker’ Exhibition Takes Flight to Seoul

SEOUL –

Dior
‘S blockbuster retrospective has journeyed through multiple cities over the past nine years, yet aficionados of the haute couture brand can savor an entirely fresh encounter with the newest iteration.
Seoul
.

The exhibition, which
debuted at Les Arts Decoratifs
museum in Paris for the company’s 70th anniversary

^th

anniversary, encapsulates
Dior
In his legacy of attire for memorable events involving women, the expertise of the atelier and workshop along with contributions from the founder, is highlighted.
Christian Dior
‘s love of gardens.

The “Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams” exhibit at Dongdaemun Design Plaza, one of Seoul’s iconic venues crafted by
Zaha Hadid
, made its debut on Friday and will remain accessible to the public until July 13.

“Every time it follows the same theme but comes with a new idea and distinct outfits,” explained Olivier Bialobos, Dior’s deputy managing director for global communication and image.

Items are specifically selected for each city from a continuously growing archival collection that encompasses over 15,000 gowns and 15,000 accessories. Guests can expect to see approximately 250 garments, which include not only previously unseen items discovered at auctions but also iconic outfits worn on celebrity-red carpets around the world.
Jisoo of Blackpink
and
Natalie Portman
.

“The longevity of this company can be attributed to the consistent vision among its leaders who have headed the house over time, and this exhibition narrates their journey,” explained the curator.
Florence Müller
He collaborates with the patrimony team to sift through Dior’s extensive archives.

Along with showcasing an updated collection of gowns, the exhibit presented artworks created by Korean-origin artists, incorporating fresh contributions to the display.
Dior Lady Art
project.
Lee Ufan
A trailblazer in the Mono-ha movement, he applied his characteristic brushstroke technique to three bulky sacks made of wool, colored in black, mint, and white.

The bags were showcased at a Lady Dior event in Seoul, along with previous works by artists of Korean descent such as Soo Sunny Park and Zadie Xa. This display of the famous handbags marks an entirely new addition specifically created for the Seoul exhibition.

“The glass cases of the Lady Dior corner were inspired by [Korean artist]
Nam June Paik
As stated by the exhibit’s set designer Shohei Shigematsu, who is a partner at the architecture firm of Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas,
OMA
agency.

Dior is establishing a space where numerous distinct perspectives are coming together, fostering an intense collaboration that goes beyond superficial integration of Asian aesthetics. This partnership is truly significant,” he stated.

Park, a Korean-American artist, presented at the exhibition her characteristic kinetic sculpture—a dynamic installation that continuously engages with the light to alter the atmosphere of the space. “My art isn’t just about the physical objects,” she explained. “I consider it more of a living assembly.” She also expressed delight in collaborating with lighting designer François Roupinian to recreate a night-like environment.

Shigematsu pointed out that the location, typically utilized for
Seoul Fashion Week
, presented exciting challenges.

The space spans 2,000 square meters and boasts ceiling heights of 16 meters without any supporting columns. While this level of freedom was incredibly thrilling, it could also be daunting at times,” he explained. He went on to say that his crew needed to construct an ‘inner structure’ inside the main building to develop themed areas that collectively tell one grand narrative.

One standout feature of the exhibit is an evocative space designed like a massive “dalhangari” moon jar, a classic example of Joseon-period ceramics. The admiration for gardens held by Christian Dior is vividly recreated using fragile paper art.
art
By Hyunju Kim. The artist has been utilizing “hanji,” which is Korean traditional mulberry-paper, for over ten years. Alongside more than twenty assistants, Kim dedicated over two months to create hundreds of thousands of paper leaves, blossoms, and twigs. Following this, an additional fortnight was devoted to meticulously placing each paper flower without relying on adhesive materials.

“I genuinely considered sustainability. The New Look embodied femininity and post-war recovery, and thus, I believe the natural essence of ‘hanji’ has the potential to introduce the marvels of nature to contemporary society,” stated Kim.

She mentioned, ‘I enjoyed collaborating with Dior since they genuinely provided me with support and respect for all my ideas.’

Bialobos mentioned that the artists have been granted “complete freedom to create as they wish,” enabling the brand to explore new boundaries technologically. This approach was previously seen with the Lady Dior Art bags featuring the Korean artist.
Lee Bul
For instance, the brand was tasked with creating distinctive stone elements that needed to be crafted thinner than leather. Additionally, Lee’s bag is showcased in the exhibition.

Xa, who is a Korean Canadian artist, broadened her artistic boundaries when she was asked to create a portrait of Christian Dior for the exhibition.

“I don’t normally do portraits, so it was an interesting and fun,” said Xa, who had many conversations with her husband, Benito Mayor Vellayo, who is known for more traditional European-style portraits.

“When we often think about portraits we think about the physical, but I wanted to a more psychological exploration. This wasn’t easy because there was so much mysticism surrounding this man. But through my research I saw Monsieur Dior in a more empathetic way and felt connected with who he was: a man who loved gardens and named a bag after his dog,” she said.