1959 -- Couture at the Kremlin

In yesterday's post, we briefly mentioned a fashion exhibition in Moscow that included our S/S 1959 Yves Saint Laurent for Christian Dior haute couture coat. Today, we look at that exhibition and the wonderful photos it generated.

In 1959 the esteemed fashion house of Christian Dior was invited by the Soviet government to present its latest collection in Moscow. The event took place June 12-16, 1959 and was widely publicized throughout Moscow with large street posters + signage. Twelve models, along with accompanying Dior representatives, presented the house's spring/summer lines in numerous shows in the 800-seat 'Les Ailes Du Soviet.' The latest Paris fashions, with their daring lines, bright colors + "short" skirts, were in stark contrast to the traditional, conservative Soviet garb.

The official poster for the exhibition featuring Dior star model, Ghislaine Arsac



Models arriving in Moscow. First off the plane is the famed model Kouka, wearing the aforementioned coat




Parade of Dior at 'Les Ailes Du Soviet,' 1959

During that exciting week, several of the models were sent to parade the fashions around the people + sites of Moscow. Along for the informal tour was acclaimed Life Magazine photographer, Howard Sochurek, snapping pictures the whole way. The faces + reactions of the "common" people en route is evidence of the cultural divide between Russia + the rest of Europe.