The House of Dior is making its debut in a museum in the Southeastern U.S. next month through a partnership with the Savannah College of Art and Design.
The Atlanta-based SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film worked with the French luxury house to create “Dior: Crafting Fashion” which will open on April 16. The exhibition, which was curated by Hélène Starkman, exhibition curator for Christian Dior Couture, and organized by Rafael Brauer Gomes, creative director of SCAD FASH museums, offers an unprecedented look at the history of the company and how it has transformed over the years.
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“Among the primary inspirations for this exhibition is the desire to share and reveal the entire creative process that gives rise to and reinvents Dior haute couture — this laboratory in motion — from white toiles to the defile,” said Olivier Bialobos, deputy managing director of Dior. “Sharing knowledge is also one of the key passions driving our creative director Jonathan Anderson, and we are therefore very pleased that this event is taking place at a university, the very symbol of knowledge sharing.”
The exhibition is broken down into seven distinct thematic sections and includes pieces created by a range of Dior designers, from Christian Dior to Jonathan Anderson, as well as toiles that speak to the “petites mains”; expressive gardens; Lady Dior handbags reimagined by American artists and looks from fashion shows and red carpet events.
All told, there are more than 100 historic pieces in the show, some presented for the first time.
“This spring, SCAD FASH celebrates the legacy and influence of Christian Dior, who conjured fashion with the precision of architecture and the passion of poetry,” said SCAD president and founder Paula Wallace. “This historic exhibition — featuring work never yet seen in a public exhibition — reveals the extraordinary artistry behind the storied French couture house, from the first toiles shaped by the ateliers, to the iconic lines and looks that command today’s runways and red carpets. This exhibition is a master class in the magic of a legendary maison.”
The exhibition explores the chronology of the creative process — from drawing board to workshop and from accessorizing to runways — and is based on the namesake designer’s initial dream of becoming an architect before running an art gallery until ultimately becoming a couturier.
“At the heart of this exhibition, specially created for SCAD and its unique learning environment, is the desire to convey the many forms that inspiration can take for a designer,” said Starkman. “The central idea is to paint a portrait of each designer at the creative helm of the house, looking at their journey, who they were before they joined Dior, and how each of them brought their own world into their collections. This event also offers Dior a unique opportunity to tell the whole story of a collection and how it is born, from the first drafts in white muslin to the preparation of a runway show. An exploration of the behind-the-scenes crafting of the Dior dream.”
“Dior: Crafting Fashion” will be the finale for SCADstyle 2026, the university’s signature event celebrating all facets of style, design and innovation. As part of the event, SCAD FASH will host a private reception for museum members, and special guests of the university. Students from the university’s top-ranking degree programs including fashion design, accessory design, luxury and brand management, advertising and branding, photography, illustration, fashion marketing and management, will also have the opportunity to interact with the curators and others from the House of Dior through private tours and classroom lectures.
This is not the first time Dior and SCAD have worked together. In 2025, the exhibition of “Christian Dior: Jardins Rêvés” was exhibited at SCAD FASH Lacoste, a residential study-location in Provence, France, that drew record-breaking visitors.
“It has been a profound privilege to collaborate again with the legendary House of Dior on this exclusive presentation for SCAD FASH in Atlanta,” said Gomes. “Dior: Crafting Fashion illuminates the extraordinary elegance, artistry and craftsmanship that has defined the house for generations. From the founding genius of Christian Dior to the distinct creative voices of his successors, including Jonathan Anderson, this exhibition honors the continuum of visionaries who have shaped Dior’s enduring identity. We hope it serves as both inspiration and catalyst for our emerging SCAD creatives and visitors alike to reimagine what is possible in fashion and design.”
“Dior: Crafting Fashion” will be on view at SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film through Aug. 23.
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