Ahead of the House of Dior's 80th anniversary next year, the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) unveiled a new exhibit at its SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film in Atlanta. Entitled "Dior: Crafting Fashion," it chronicles the maison's enduring legacy, eight head designers and behind-the-scenes process of bringing garments from ideation to presentation.Boasting more than 100 archival pieces, the exhibit spotlights Dior icons like the Bar Suit (the manifestation of the "New Look") and the Lady Dior bag (named for Lady Diana herself) while also exposing students to the many careers available within the fashion industry by spotlighting roles across design, photography, styling, millinery, modeling and more.
As Hélène Starkman, the exhibition curator for Christian Dior Couture and the curator of "Dior: Crafting Fashion," tells Fashionista: "Fashion is not just one person, fashion is such a collaborative environment." A look from Dior Haute Couture Spring 2026, Jonathan Anderson's first couture collection for the label.Photo: Courtesy of SCAD Upon entering the exhibit, visitors are met with key looks created by each of Dior's designers, including Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, Raf Simons, Maria Grazia Chiuri and, most recently, Jonathan Anderson.
One of Anderson's first Dior couture designs (which debuted this January) — a bulbous black gown adorned with purple flowers that was inspired by Magdalene Odundo's sculptures — is on display, offering a glimpse into the maison's current era."Couture, I think, is something that people are used to seeing online," Starkman says. "And online is usually kind of flat and you don't really understand the details. But what [Anderson] says about his first couture is that every fabric or every detail is not what it seems to be."
A look from Dior Haute Couture Spring 2011 by John Galliano.Photo: Courtesy of SCAD Moving through the space, toiles (a garment's first draft) illustrate the atelier's intricate construction process, with select prototypes appearing alongside their finished versions. For example, the toile (pictured below) for a black-and-red dress from Galliano's Spring 2011 couture collection (pictured above) highlights the garment's complex layering techniques."It was really important for us to show the garment and then show the toile so you understand the process of it," Starkman explains. Dior's toiles, including the toile for the above Dior Haute Couture Spring 2011 dress (far right).Photo: Courtesy of SCAD Visitors then step into a garden of historical couture, which places each designer's floral-inspired creations in conversation with one another, highlighting the maison's common thread of referencing the founding designer's ideas.
Couture accessories, including hats and footwear from throughout Dior's history also line the walls (which Starkman refers to as the "cabinet of curiosities"). Dior couture accessories in the "cabinet of curiosities."Photo: Courtesy of SCAD Though Dior spent only 10 years at the helm of his eponymous label, his impact on the fashion industry continues to serve as inspiration for his successors and aspiring designers alike. "Christian Dior founded his house when he was 42.
There's no rush, you know?" Starkman points out. "So you can be creative, you can be any age and you never know what's going to happen."The "Dior: Crafting Fashion" exhibit is open from April 16 through Aug. 23, 2026 at 1600 Peachtree St. in Atlanta, GA.
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