This is the famous photograph by Willy Maywald of “Le Bar”, a suit created by French designer Christian Dior. It made headlines in the newspapers in 1947 and marked the introduction of the fashion trend called the “New Look.” It was the period in fashion that started in 1947 and continued approximately till the end of the 1950’s. There are many fashion photos showing garments that were made and worn during that time, but this photo stands out. Fashion designers, historians, curators and other professionals may use a variety of examples to illustrate that time frame, but from my experience nobody misses the opportunity to include this photo. One could forget the name of photographer and designer, but not the image itself, because it illustrates this time period in the best possible way.
As the story goes, on February 12, 1947, Dior launched his first fashion collection for Spring-Summer 1947. It was presented in Paris, in the salons of the company's headquarters at 30 Avenue Montaigne. Dior called his line “Corolla”, a botanical term describing opening petals, which referred to his ideal of woman as a flower. However, the new collection went down in fashion history as the “New Look” after Harper’s Bazaar’s editor-in-chief Carmel Show’s exclamation, "It's such a New Look!" There were several characteristics that made this such a unique look: long skirt (full or straight), large bust (which fell from style in 1912), small rounder shoulder line and small cinched waist. During the WWII, designers and apparel manufactures had very strict fabric restrictions, and thus they were limited in their offerings. As if to celebrate the lifting of such restrictions, Dior used 20 yards of extravagant fabrics in his creations, that along was sensational and luxurious after the years of hardship. The New Look became revolutionary and strongly popular, influencing fashion and other designers for many years to come. Paris, which had fallen from its position as the capital of the fashion world after WWII, regained its esteemed position due in part to the attention it gained form Dior's New Look.
Why this photo is so captivating? Different viewers may have different opinions about this, but I can only have my own. I think that successful composition and choice of black and white colors are the key factors that made this photo being so famous. The model is the focal point and she is almost centrally located .Almost, because she stands on the sidewalk showing the road in the background. The road is behind the main character of this picture, but it seems like it is also an important part of this photo. The road is unobstructed and unknown, but very inviting. Even the model’s gesture is pointing to it. One can see that future is unknown, just like the misty road, but also “picture perfect.” It made sense then, after the WWII, when everyone was so full of hopes for a great future. The walls on the left side serve almost as a partial frame that adds some dimension to the photo in overall. The fact that photographer used black and white process instead of the color one, makes it even more special. The contract between black and white in the composition bring extra attention of a combination of black and white in the outfit worn by a model. It creates an image of clean simple elegance, something that both designer and photographer were aspiring to achieve. In overall, this image has a story to tell, and it is open to the interpretations by its viewers. A book “Fifty Years of Fashion” by Valerie Steele is a great source for additional information about New Look and other periods in a fashion history.
