Qatar Museums Presents Christian Dior Designer Of Dreams At M7 Creative Hub

Qatar Museums is currently presenting Christian Dior Designer of Dreams¹ at M7² in Msheireb Downtown Doha, on view until March 31^st, 2022. It is the first fashion exhibition of its ambition and scale in the Middle East and has been reinvented a new following successful presentations at prestigious museums in Paris, London, Shanghai, and New York. The retrospective, which features a selection of pieces that are being shown for the first time, includes ensembles from the private collection of Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, a long-standing client of Christian Dior Couture.

To the rhythm of a new scenographic narrative designed by Nathalie Crinière, the exhibition, specially conceived for Qatar and curated by Olivier Gabet³, celebrates nearly seventy-five years of creative passion, punctuated by captivating haute couture dresses and works from the collection of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris.

“The exhibition Christian Dior Designer of Dreams has captivated audiences around the globe with its stunning design and breathtaking fashion creations. Qatar Museums is pleased to present a special presentation of the exhibition in Doha, in collaboration with Dior and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs. Qatar Museums gives special thanks to Place Vendôme for their generous support as the presenting sponsor of the exhibition,” said Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson, Qatar Museums.

“Christian Dior was a true visionary,” Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa continued, “so it is especially meaningful to us that Designer of Dreams is the first major exhibition to open at Qatar Museums’ M7, a creative hub that supports Qatar’s burgeoning fashion and design industries. This inspiring space provides a platform for local talent and supports aspiring and established creative entrepreneurs in Qatar to realise their ambitions.”

Resembling a majestic entrance, a décor evoking the legendary 30 Avenue Montaigne welcomes visitors, followed by a selection of silhouettes designed by each of Christian Dior’s successors – Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, Raf Simons and Maria Grazia Chiuri. Also featured is the Bar suit, a manifesto of the New Look, designed by Christian Dior for his first collection in 1947.

The House’s multiple sources of inspiration – like the sumptuousness of Versailles – are revealed, while the unmissable toile room, a tribute to the savoir-faire of the Ateliers, promotes the excellence of the petites mains. A floral bouquet of timeless elegance, the Miss Dior fragrance blossoms before Maria Grazia Chiuri’s eponymous new haute couture dress for Dior. The beauty of world cultures is showcased in the Dior Around the World section reflecting cultural references for each country represented, for example Middle Eastern-inspired stained-glass windows by Philippe-Joseph Brocard.

In the heart of a garden recalling Monsieur Dior’s love of flowers, looks are enhanced by delicate embellishments or poetic prints, like an haute couture herbarium, presented alongside embroidery by Rébé and precious botanical works dating from the 15^th to the 19^th centuries. Continuing this dreamlike journey, the J’adore universe is exalted by a cascade of golden raindrops composed of 3,000 perfume bottles in a creation by the artist Liu Jianhua. The work Precious Stonewall (2020) and the J’adore perfume bottle designed by Jean-Michel Othoniel (2012) also appear like an echo. The irresistible Diorama window, revisited in pastel shades, dialogues with an installation specially created for this exhibition by the artist Joël Andrianomearisoa, entitled Les Saisons Imaginaires and made from a thousand upcycled Dior silk scarves.

Reflecting Christian Dior’s fascination with art, more than fifty Lady Dior handbags have been reinterpreted for the Dior Lady Art project, granting painters, sculptors, and designers carte blanche to transform this emblem according to their artistic vision – an accessory that owes its iconic status to its extraordinary ambassador, Lady Diana. The public can also admire one of the Princess of Wales’ outfits, alongside looks that have graced other dazzling celebrities, including Charlize Theron and Jennifer Lawrence. The final gallery, a ballroom paying tribute to the «kingdom of dreams», offers an enchanting encounter between virtuoso evening gowns and a series of haute couture ensembles belonging to Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser.

An odyssey from yesterday to today, all in the name of Dior magic.

Christian Dior Designer of Dreams is sponsored by Place Vendôme with additional support from Qatar Airways. The exhibition is part of the ongoing cultural legacy established as part of the Qatar-France 2020 Year of Culture, an initiative celebrating the longstanding ties between both nations.

¹ This exhibition – always reinterpreted according to host countries and cultural affinities – has been hosted by the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, the Long Museum West Bund in Shanghai, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chengdu and the Brooklyn Museum in New York, where it is currently on display.

² Qatar Design and Innovation Center, located in Msheireb Downtown Doha.

³ Olivier Gabet is the Director of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris.

About DIOR

Christian Dior was the designer of dreams. As soon as his House was founded in 1946, and consecrated by the revolution of the New Look, his visionary spirit never ceased to glorify women all over the world. “Fabric is the sole vehicle of our dreams (…). Fashion, in sum, comes from a dream, and dreaming is an escape,” he wrote. This exceptional heritage is reinvented by the singular creative passion, force and modernity of the House’s Creative Directors who make the Dior magic live on with audacity, excellence of savoir-faire and its unique beauty of the gesture. Maria Grazia Chiuri was named Creative Director of women’s haute couture, ready-to-wear and accessories collections for Dior in July 2016, becoming the first woman to hold this position at the House. Across the seasons, and through her many collaborations, she reveals the talents, inventiveness and commitment of artists and artisans from around the world.

About Qatar Museums

Qatar Museums (QM), the nation’s preeminent institution for art and culture, provides authentic and inspiring cultural experiences through a growing network of museums, heritage sites, festivals, public art installations, and programmes. QM preserves, restores, and expands the nation’s cultural offerings and historical sites, sharing art and culture from Qatar, the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia (MENASA) region with the world and enriching the lives of citizens, residents, and visitors.

Under the patronage of His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and led by its Chairperson, Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, QM has made Qatar a vibrant centre for the arts, culture, and education in the Middle East and beyond. QM is integral to the goal of developing an innovative, diverse, and progressive nation, bringing people together to ignite new thinking, spark critical cultural conversations, educate, and encourage environmental stewardship and sustainable practices, and amplify the voices of Qatar’s people. Since its founding in 2005, QM has overseen the Museum of Islamic Art and MIA Park, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, the National Museum of Qatar, QM Gallery Al Riwaq, QM Gallery Katara, and the Tasweer Qatar Photo Festival. Future projects include the soon to open 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum, and Dadu, Children’s Museum of Qatar.

Through its newly created Creative Hub, QM also initiates and supports projects—such as the Fire Station Artist in Residence, the Tasweer Qatar Photo Festival and the creative hub for innovation, fashion and design M7— that nurture artistic talent and create opportunities to build a strong and sustainable cultural infrastructure.

Animating everything that Qatar Museums does is an authentic connection to Qatar and its heritage, a steadfast commitment to inclusivity and accessibility, and a belief in creating value through invention.

About Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris

Located in the Marsan Wing of the Palais du Louvre in Paris, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs was founded in 1882 and entrusted with the mission of promoting the applied arts and developing lasting links between industry and culture, design and production. The Musée des Arts Décoratifs houses and preserves over 800,000 works of art from French national collections including fashion, furniture, jewelry, graphic arts, gold and silverware, glassware and ceramics. In compliance with its original charter, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs strives “to keep alive in France the culture of the arts which seeks to make useful things beautiful.” Continually fostering ties with designers in various fields, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs is the largest decorative arts museum in continental Europe. In addition to pursuing a dynamic, resourceful acquisition policy, the museum also holds numerous exhibitions each year, making it a staple of the Parisian cultural landscape.

About M7

M7 is Qatar’s epicentre for innovation and entrepreneurship in fashion and design.

M7 serves to:

- Inspire and catalyse creativity in people of all ages and backgrounds by hosting exhibitions, performances, films, educational programmes, and public discussions
- Teach aspiring entrepreneurs in the fields of fashion and design and advance their careers
- Support Qatar’s creators by providing resources and opportunities for mentorship
- Connect Qatar’s innovators to a network of influential creative people in Qatar, the region, and around the world

The five-story, 29,000-square-meter facility is located in the heart of Msheireb Downtown Doha, the mixed-use development reviving the city’s historic core as a sustainable live-work neighbourhood. Maha Ghanim Al Sulaiti is the Director of M7.

About Place Vendôme Qatar

Place Vendôme, occupying a total space of 1,150,000 m², is set to open in the city of Lusail in Qatar and will bring together retail, leisure, and entertainment, making it an ideal seaside destination.
The project has been entrusted to United Developers under the guidance of local investors who are experts in real estate, retail, construction and contracting. Situated 11 km from the centre of Doha, the multifunctional structure houses two five-star hotels (Le Royal Méridien and Palais Vendôme, a Luxury Collection Hotel), serviced apartments (Le Royal Méridien Residences) managed by Marriott International, up to 560 different retail outlets and a gorgeous open plaza surrounded by cafés and restaurants, overlooking a canal with dancing fountain shows.

Place Vendôme will open its doors to the public on 02.02.2022.

About Qatar Airways

A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was recently announced as the ‘Airline of the Year’ at the 2021 World Airline Awards, managed by the international air transport rating organisation, Skytrax. It was also named ‘World’s Best Business Class’, ‘World’s Best Business Class Airline Lounge’, ‘World’s Best Business Class Airline Seat’, ‘World’s Best Business Class Onboard Catering’ and ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’. The airline continues to stand alone at the top of the industry having won the main prize for an unprecedented sixth time (2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2021).

Hamad International Airport (HIA), the airline’s home and hub, was recently announced as the ‘World’s Best Airport’ in the Skytrax 2021 World Airport Awards. HIA has been steadily rising in the
‘World’s Best Airports’ rankings since the start of its operations in 2014.

Qsuite, a patented Qatar Airways product, features the industry’s first-ever double bed in Business Class, as well as privacy panels that stow away, allowing passengers in adjoining seats to create their own private room, a first of its kind in the industry. Qatar Airways was the first Gulf carrier to join global airline alliance oneworld, enabling its passengers to benefit from more than 1,000 airports in more than 160 countries, with 14,250 daily departures

Qatar Airways proudly supports a range of exciting international and local initiatives dedicated to enriching the global community that it serves. Qatar Airways, the official FIFA partner, is the official sponsor of many top-level sporting events, including the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022TM, reflecting the values of sports as a means of bringing people together, something at the core of the airline’s own brand message - Going Places Together.

Qatar Airways Cargo, one of the world’s leading international air cargo carriers, serves more than 60 freighter destinations worldwide via its world-class Doha hub and also delivers freight in the belly-hold deck of passenger aircraft to an extensive network. The Qatar Airways Cargo fleet includes two Boeing 747-8 freighters, 26 Boeing 777 freighters and six B777-300ER mini freighters.