Junon
Haute Couture Fall-Winter 1949, Milieu du siècle line, and Haute Couture Spring-Summer 2017
The Junon dress, Christian Dior’s ultimate masterpiece, was designed to be worn at grand galas. Its blue-green petals embroidered by the house of Rébé were reminiscent of the plumage of the peacock, the animal attribute of the “queen of the gods”, protector of marriage and fertility in Roman mythology. This is one of Dior’s most iconic dresses.
This ball gown was made entirely of tulle embroidered with countless sequins, giving it a spectacular effect. The exceptional craftsmanship was carried out by René Bégué, known as Rébé, one of the greatest embroiderers of his time.
Junon was part of the Milieu du siècle line, which also included its counterpart, Vénus, a ball gown in gray silk tulle entirely embroidered with a sequined feather motif.
These two designs, true masterpieces, gave Haute Couture the status of the “kingdom of dreams,” which was dear to Christian Dior.
Junon has been reinterpreted by several Creative Directors of the House. John Galliano in 2010…
…and Maria Grazia Chiuri in 2017 for her first Haute Couture collection, with New Junon. This collection was the subject of many tributes by the new Creative Director, who turned the House’s sampler on its head to transpose it into new shapes and cuts.
New Junon was thus a ball gown made of pleated tulle in pastel shades. The petals that structured its skirt were a direct inspiration from Junon, though without the embroidery, giving it a light shape and a vaporous feel, a distinctive feature of the dresses in this collection.
In this sense, it corresponded to the image Maria Grazia Chiuri wanted to give to Haute Couture within the House: a preserved memory, whose codes adapt to the women of today.
© Laziz Hamani ; © Association Willy Maywald/ADAGP ; © Guy Marineau
