The VFG believes that informed selling and buying communities are good for the vintage-fashion industry as a whole, and all visitors to the website have access to the VFG resources. These are continually updated and constantly evolving, thanks to a dedicated volunteer staff.
Our blog features our picks of the freshest vintage items, member news and articles. We have also created a growing series of articles on some classic designers.
The Vintage Fashion Guild™ (VFG) is an international organization dedicated to the promotion and preservation of vintage fashion.
The Vintage Fashion Guild™ (VFG) is an international community of people with expertise in vintage fashion. VFG members enjoy a wealth of resources, avenues for promoting their shops and specialties, and camaraderie with others who share a common interest and passion.
Christian Dior (1905 – 1958) was one of the most influential designers of the 20th century. He was artistic and took to fashion sketching at a young age but it wasn’t until 1946 that he achieved his renown.
In the 1930s, with the Great Depression and family deaths, Dior’s path veered, but from 1937 he designed alongside Pierre Balmain at Robert Piguet. After WWII service in the French army, Dior worked again with Balmain, this time for the house of Lucien Lelong. While there he attracted the attention of textile maker Marcel Boussac, who became Dior’s financial backer.
In 1946, Dior founded his own fashion house. His 1947 Corolle collection, dubbed the “New Look” by Carmel Snow, revolutionized fashion. The voluptuous, voluminous silhouettes—fitted, padded, corseted, and lofty forms accentuating the female figure—stood in stark contrast to the wartime restrictions and had a profound and lasting impact. His pioneering licensing of furs, perfumes, and stockings in 1948 further solidified his brand recognition.
Dior continued to be a major force in the fashion world in the 1950s, with a new silhouette each season, including the Princess line of 1951, the “H” line of 1954, and the “A” and “Y” lines of 1955. The extensive Dior exhibition at Paris’ Musée des Arts Décoratifs from 2017 to 2018, and the following year at the V&A in London, gave a new generation a first hand look at the virtuosity of Dior.
Dior’s international expansion was significant. Christian Dior New York, opened in October 1948, proved exceptionally successful. Initially, Dior himself travelled to New York with his collections, but by 1951, the operation had expanded significantly, necessitating on-site manufacturing in New York. While designs originated in Paris until 1961, a French design team led by Guy Douvier then relocated to New York to better understand and reflect American fashion trends within the Christian Dior New York label. In late 1951, a deal with Holt Renfrew granted exclusive Canadian representation, with Mme Ginette Steinman overseeing Montreal workrooms that reproduced Dior designs. Christian Dior Models Limited (London), established in 1952, and other lines, offered demi-couture—high-end ready-to-wear catering to women seeking designer clothing beyond their couture budget.
Yves Saint Laurent became Dior’s assistant in 1955, and succeeded him at his death in 1957. The head designers at Dior have been:
1947 -1958 – Christian Dior 1958 -1960 – Yves Saint Laurent 1960 -1989 – Marc Bohan 1989 -1996 – Gianfranco Ferré 1996 -2011 – John Galliano 2011 -2012 – Bill Gaytten 2012 -2016 – Raf Simons 2016 – Maria Grazia Chiuri The New York, London, and Boutique labels represent ready-to-wear lines. Initially designed in Paris, these lines shifted to New York and London design teams after 1961. Dior couture labels are often dated by season and year and stamped with an identification number; however, some boutique labels also have numbers, so this alone doesn’t identify a garment as couture.
“I created flower women with gentle shoulders and generous bosoms, with tiny waists like stems and skirts belling out like petals.” Christian Dior
Written by fuzzylizzie with updates by denisebrain
See also: Miss Dior
See vintage Dior from VFG members on Etsy (paid link)
from a 1949 silk gown
from a late 1940s/early 1950s dress & jacket
from a 1953 couture dress
from a 1950s dress
from a 1950s skirt
from a 1950s jacket
from a 1950s sweater
from a 1950s evening dress
from a 1956 wool cocoon cape coat
from a 1956 wool jacket
from late 1950s court shoes
from a late-1950s evening dress
from a pair of 1958 shoes
from a late 1950s couture party dress
from a late-1950s/early-1960s dress
from a 1961 couture dress
from a 1960s coat
from a pair of 1960s below elbow leather gloves
from a 1960s hat
from a 1960s tie
from a 1960s turban
from a 1960s faux fur
from a 1960s shirt
from a 1960s couture coatdress
from a 1960s jacket
from a mid-1960s dress
from a mid-1960s vinyl coat
from a 1965 couture dress
from a 1966 suit
from a late 1960s hat
from a A/W 1969 couture wool coat
from a 1970s robe
from a 1970s skirt
from a 1970s trench coat
from a 1970s mens blazer
from a 1970s maxi skirt
from a 1970s velvet hat
from a 1970s silk mens sweater
from an A/W 1971 couture evening gown
from a S/S 1972 couture evening gown
from a 1970s nightgown
from a 1970s blouse
from a late-1970s early-1980s dress
from a 1980s slip hang tag
from a 1980s slip
from a 1980s halter
from a 1980s skirt suit
from a 1980s suit
from a 1980s robe
from a 1980s dressing gown
from a 1980s fur coat
from a 1980s mink coat
from a mid-1980s suit
from a mid-1980s leather jacket
from a late 1980s dress
from a 1987 white fox coat
from a 1988/89 dress
from an early 1990s shirt
from an early 1990s skirt suit
from a 1980s necktie
from an early 1990s blazer
from a mid-1990s evening top
from a mid-1990s dress
from a late 1990s/early 2000s men's shirt