Lindsey Graham (11:44)
Achieve new levels of success by joining the James Hardy Alliance Today. It's May 28, 1945, at a train station in Paris, five years after German troops occupied the French capital. 40 year old fashion designer Christian Dior pushes his way into a crowded platform as a steam train pulls into the station. The locomotive grinds to a halt and Christian cranes his neck trying to see over the heads of his fellow Parisians. The train's arrival has been anticipated for days and emotions are running high. Today, dozens of former concentration camp prisoners are returning home and Christian's sister Catherine is one of them. During the long German occupation, Catherine was a member of the French Resistance. She operated out of Paris, transmitting coded radio reports on enemy activity to Britain. But her secret war ended when she was arrested by the Gestapo. Christian was devastated. Desperate to save his sister, he drew on every connection he had. Parisian fashion houses still did brisk business supplying dresses to the wives and mistresses of Nazi officers. And Christian tried to call in favors from his influential clients. But his efforts to secure Catherine's release failed. She was tortured and was eventually deported to Ravensbruck in North Germany, the Nazis largest concentration camp for women. After this, Christian could only keep his head down, hope that the Gestapo did not come for him too, and pray that his sister would survive. Against all odds, she did. And now Nazi Germany has fallen, Adolf Hitler is dead, and the surviving victims of his regime are finally being freed. The train doors open amid a cloud of steam. Christian walks the length of the platform, scanning faces pressed against the carriage windows. He recognizes no one. He moves past family after family as they tearfully reunite. Couples embrace, holding each other tightly, but Catherine is nowhere to be seen. Then when an emaciated woman blocks his way, Christian steps around her too. But he freezes when he hears her say his name. Name. Christian's heart lurches. He thought this frail woman was in her 50s, but looking closer, he sees that it's his 28 year old sister. Christian immediately throws his coat around Catherine's shoulders and gathers her into his arms. Back at his apartment, Christian prepares a meal to mark his sister's return. But Catherine can only manage a few spoonfuls. Christian talks eagerly about the liberation of France and how different Paris is feels now that the war is over. But Catherine is so weak, she can barely follow her brother's words. Over the following months, under Christian's care, Catherine slowly regains her strength. And with his sister at his side, Christian finds renewed purpose in his work. She becomes his muse, the model in his sketches, the inspiration for his ideas. Her presence rekindles his ambition of starting his own business. But he is all too aware that the aftermath of war is not the best time to open a new fashion house. Luxury clothing is not a priority while so many people are still rebuilding their lives. But then, a year after the war's end, Christian receives an unexpected proposal. A wealthy businessman asks Christian to revive his struggling pre war fashion house. It's a tempting offer, but Christian refuses. He's still set on starting something entirely new. New. So he makes a counter proposal. He asks the businessman to finance a new fashion house, one that bears Christian's own name. Impressed by Christian's ambition, the businessman agrees. He also offers one piece of Christian should not copy his contemporaries. His new enterprise must stand apart from the rest. During the war, clothing was practical. There were strict regulations rationing fabric, leading to simplified designs, narrow hemlines and the removal of any unnecessary details like pleats and cuffs. Even now, pieces come rationing remains in effect and fashion still seems stuck in wartime. So with Catherine's encouragement, Christian works up a series of designs with a radical new style. He focuses on accentuating the feminine form, using the shape of an hourglass as an inspiration, he designs large billowy dresses that pull into narrow waists, then flare again at the bust. And Christian's vision extends beyond clothing too. Inspired by Catherine's love for growing flowers, he creates his first perfume, naming it Ms. Dior, after his courageous sister. He tells her that when their fashion house is ready for the public, he will fill the rooms with the beautiful scent. A few months later, in December 1946, Christian will open the doors of his new fashion house for the first time. Two months after that, he'll present his first clothing collection to the world. And in so doing, Christian won't just finally achieve his dream. He will change the world of fashion forever. It's February 12, 1947 in Paris, France. Two months after the opening of Christian Dior's fashion house. As the last model glides from the center of the room, the audience erupts. Applause crashes against the walls as guests leap to their feet. Christian feels a rush of emotion. He bows his head and presses his hands over his ears, overwhelmed and needing a moment to steady himself. The atmosphere has been electric from the moment the first dress appeared, with audible gasps greeting each design. Now, as the show comes to an end, a flushed Christian rises and accepts a bouquet of flowers. At the back of the room, he catches sight of his sister Catherine. They share a proud smile. Then Christian says a few words to the assembled guests. He explains that his collection is his attempt to move on from the horrors of war, and he hopes that the world is ready to move on with him. He soon finds that they are. The reviews exceed his wildest expectations. In Harper's Bazaar, a fashion critic describes Christian's collection as the new look. And this name spreads quickly. Soon everyone is talking about Dior's new look, and Christian even adopts the phrase himself. But not everyone is a fan of this new style. Some detractors find it too extravagant for a time of austerity. Others consider the cuts too revealing and provocative. A few Dior customers are even attacked in the street by angry demonstrators trying to tear their dresses. But for most people, Christian's elegant, feminine style will mark a welcome end to the shapeless, utilitarian look of the war years. And soon, Christian Dior would become synonymous with high fashion. And the business bearing his name will shape the way the world dresses for decades to come. But none of its collections will ever be as famous or as influential as the very first the new look that Christian Dior revealed in Paris on February 12, 1947. Next on History Daily, February 13, 1920. A consortium of baseball baseball team owners creates the first successful national league for black players. From Noiser and Airship. This is History Daily hosted, edited and executive produced by me, Lindsey Graham Audio editing by Mohammed Shazi Sound design by Molly Vaughn Music by Thrum. This episode is written and researched by Owen Paul Nichols. Edited by Scott Reeves Managing producer Emily Byrd Executive producers are William Simpson for Airship and Pascal Hughes for Noiser.
