At an historic event (for many reasons), we had a true fashion history moment this past week. One of the most iconic French fashion houses was front and centre at one of the most impressive French historic sites, and I could not have been more elated. It is a callback to a modern fashion battle and one I was not expecting. For Style File Friday, we are going to be talking about Dior‘s return to Versailles!
Queen Camilla Wears Dior at Versailles
King Charles and Queen Camilla were in France this week for their State Visit that had been postponed from March. And The Queen did not disappoint at the State Dinner.
French President Emmanuel Macron hosted the couple and 160 other high-profile guests at the Palace of Versailles. (Yes, of course the dinner was held in the Hall of Mirrors.) Camilla turned to Dior for her ensemble and the house did not let her down. She wore a midnight-blue silk crepe evening gown and floor-length cape from Dior’s Haute Couture division. Some have argued that the gown is simple, but it was more than that- it was sophisticated, elegant, and worked perfectly in a sumptuous setting like Versailles. She wore the sapphire necklace that King George VI gifted to the then-Princess Elizabeth to complement the blue.
The 1973 Battle of Versailles
In 1973, French and American fashion designers battled out an elaborate show at Versailles to raise funds to help restore the Palace. Unexpectedly the American designers were crowned the champions, but Marc Bohan for Dior did take part in the impressive show. Bohan was head of Dior from 1960 until 1989. His collections often turned to the past for inspiration rather than the future. While current Dior head Maria Grazia Chiuri designed The Queen’s gown for this State Visit, Bohan designed for several royals including the future Queen Silvia of Sweden and Princess Caroline of Monaco.
Bohan passed away on 6 September 2023.
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Blog Note: Style File Friday may be going on hiatus for the next few months; I have not made any final decisions, but it seems to potentially be the best choice. I would like to be able to give you quality posts, and the amount of research and writing time needed for all posts in addition to my twice-monthly newsletter is getting to be a lot to manage. Style File Friday presents a particular challenge as it can be difficult to find images and fashion history without the fashion in front of you just is not as enjoyable. I do have a few posts scheduled, but I will post an update soon!
What do you think of Dior’s return to Versailles?
Cheers,
The Historian
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