Dior and I (opens May 1st at the Capitol Theatre)

[DIOR AND I opens in Cleveland Friday May 1st exclusively at the Capitol Theatre for a limited one-week engagement.]

Review by Pamela Zoslov

The name Christian Dior is the very definition of French fashion, and has been since the cataclysmic debut in 1947 of his “Corolle” (“circle of flowers”) line – wasp-waisted dresses and suits with voluminous, blossoming skirts, a style that became known as the “New Look.” It was a revolutionary departure from the austere, uniform-like fashions of the war years. The New Look was controversial because of the extravagant use of material, unavailable in wartime, and because of the elaborate undergirding necessary to achieve the hourglass look: built-in boned corsets and padded bustiers. The style was at once radical and reactionary, consigning women to an atavistic, labor-intensive femininity. But always, there was Dior's impeccable taste and unfailing sense of proportion.