Summary

• The New Look is a biographical series on Apple TV+ that follows Christian Dior and his contemporaries during World War II.
• Following World War II, Christian Dior opened his own house and became one of the biggest names in fashion with his New Look collection.
• Coco Chanel was never a fan of Christian Dior's and made it known through comments to the press.

The New Look is a new Apple TV+ biographical series that follows Christian Dior from his work during World War II to his rise to fame with the founding of DIOR and his untimely death at the age of 52 in 1957. The New Look cast also includes his famous contemporaries, Pierre Balmain, Cristóbal Balenciaga, and his rival, fellow French designer Coco Chanel. All four of them were in Paris during World War II and the Nazi occupation of France, though they were at different places in their careers.

The first three episodes of The New Look focus on the latter end of the occupation before Christian Dior became one of the biggest names in haute couture. The series was created by Sopranos writer Todd A. Kessler, who also directed the first two episodes. It has already been renewed for a second season and will likely take on an anthology format, though the subject of season two has yet to be announced. As a biographical series, The New Look is based on a true story but also has elements of fictionalized dramatization.

Coco Chanel Closed Her House At The Start Of World War II

She had issues with her business partners

Coco Chanel founded the House of Chanel in 1910 and almost immediately revolutionized women’s fashion with her luxury designs that prioritized comfort and simplicity. In 1921, she expanded her empire with the creation of the perfume Chanel No. 5, which also introduced the iconic Chanel logo with the interlocking Cs. The success of the perfume led her to partner with French businessman Pierre Wertheimer and establish the Parfums Chanel company. In the 1930s, the international economic depression hurt Chanel, and with the outbreak of World War II in 1939, Coco closed her couture house.

Much has been speculated about Coco’s ties to the Nazis, including her romantic relationship with Baron Hans Günther von Dincklage, a German diplomat and Gestapo spy.

Though others fled Paris, Coco stayed at the Ritz for the duration of the war and occupation. Much has been speculated about Coco’s ties to the Nazis, including her romantic relationship with Baron Hans Günther von Dincklage, a German diplomat and Gestapo spy. According to Brittanica, Coco was anti-Semitic and had petitioned Nazi officials for sole control of Chanel No. 5, arguing that since the Wertheimers were Jewish, they shouldn’t be able to own property.

However, the Wertheimers, who had fled to America and perhaps predicted the turn of events, had sold their shares to a Christian businessman, leaving Coco unsuccessful in her efforts. Chanel would remain closed throughout the war and for many years after it ended. In 1944, Chanel was arrested by French authorities for collaboration with the Nazis, though no charges were ever brought, supposedly due to intervention by her friend Winston Churchill.

Christian Dior Worked For Lelong During The War

He worked alongside Pierre Balmain

At the same time, Christian Dior was just getting started in his career as a designer. At the start of World War II, he served in the south of France as an officer in the French army. After France surrendered to Germany in 1940, he returned to Paris and started working for prominent French couturier Lucien Lelong. Like many houses that were allowed to remain open during the Nazi occupation, designers at Lelong had to dress the wives and girlfriends of Nazis and French collaborators.

Despite making dresses for Nazi wives and girlfriends, Dior was not a supporter of the party.

At Lelong, Dior collaborated with Pierre Balmain, who would also go on to open his own major house post-war. Despite making dresses for Nazi wives and girlfriends, Dior was not a supporter of the party. His younger sister, Catherine Dior, worked for the Resistance. She was arrested by the Gestapo in 1944 and sent to a concentration camp. Catherine was released in 1945 and received many medals of honor for her efforts.

Christian Dior Opened His Own House In 1946

The New Look Collection Was Revolutionary

In 1946, with financial backing from French entrepreneur Marcel Boussac, Christian Dior opened his own fashion house, DIOR. In 1947, he introduced his New Look collection, which was considered both revolutionary and controversial. During World War II, the popular trend for women’s clothing at the time was padded shoulders and short skirts. Dior’s New Look consisted of small shoulders, a cinched waist, a voluminous skirt, and a radically lowered hemline. Harper Bazaar editor-in-chief Carmel Snow wrote that Dior had created a “New Look,” giving the collection its name.

During the war, American designers became more influential, but Dior helped revive Paris as the fashion capital of the world.

The New Look collection made Dior a seemingly overnight success, which carried over into the next decade. During the war, American designers became more influential, but Dior helped revive Paris as the fashion capital of the world. Like Chanel, he also branched out beyond fashion, with his first perfume, Miss Dior, inspired by his sister Catherine.

Coco Chanel Made A Comeback In 1954

She spent years exiled from France

Though Winston Churchill supposedly helped Coco Chanel avoid charges for collaborating with the Nazis, she still fled to Switzerland following the end of World War II. She spent eight years in exile before moving back to Paris and re-entering the fashion world in 1954 with her first show in about 15 years. According to Classic Chicago Magazine, when her friend Marlène Dietrich asked her why she was making a comeback, 71-year-old Chanel said she had been “dying of boredom.”

Perhaps most notable about Coco’s comeback was the introduction of the iconic Chanel skirt-and-jacket suit, the quilted handbag, and two-toned shoes.

Ironically, her comeback was financed by Pierre Wertheimer, their past differences put aside. The show received negative reviews from the French press, and it wasn’t an instant success like New Look had been, but her collection became popular in the United States. Perhaps most notable about Coco’s comeback was the introduction of the iconic Chanel skirt-and-jacket suit, the quilted handbag, and two-toned shoes.

Coco Chanel Criticized Dior’s Style

They had different takes on women’s fashion

Despite Coco’s claim that she returned because of boredom, some speculated that her comeback was spurred on by Dior’s rising success. With Dior’s looks favoring elegance over comfort and Chanel’s doing the opposite, they clashed in their designs and views on women’s fashion. Chanel spoke about her disapproval of Dior’s designs in the press, famously saying, “Dior doesn’t dress women. He upholsters them,” accusing him of upholding the idea that women were merely objects existing solely for the admiration of men. Unlike Coco, Dior never spoke ill of her in the press, suggesting a more one-sided rivalry.

Dior was far from the only designer that Chanel had an issue with. Before Dior, she famously feuded with Elsa Schiaparelli. She felt similarly about Cristóbal Balenciaga as she did Dior when it came to women’s clothing. In an interview, Chanel made a homophobic remark that Balenciaga didn’t know how to dress women because he knew nothing about a woman’s body. Coco Chanel had strong opinions on women’s fashion and wasn’t afraid to let them be known. Thus, the so-called rivalry between Dior and Chanel will be a major focus of The New Look.

Source: Brittanica, Classic Chicago Magazine

Where To Watch The New Look

• 

  The New Look

  Release Date:

  2024-02-14

  Cast:

  Glenn Close, Ben Mendelsohn, Juliette Binoche, Maisie Williams, John Malkovich, Emily Mortimer, Claes Bang

  Genres:

  Biography, History, Drama

  Seasons:

  1

  Creator(s):

  Todd A. Kessler

  Writers:

  Todd A. Kessler

  Streaming Service(s):

  Apple TV+

  Directors:

  Helen Shaver, Todd A. Kessler, Julia Ducournau, Jeremy Podeswa