Girl in Dior

March 1, 2015

Gr 9 Up-This is a appealing graphic novel, gorgeously illustrated by French costume designer and illustrator Goetzinger. The story covers the 1947 groundbreaking first fashion show put on by designer Christian Dior, when he introduced weary post-World War II patrons to the "New Look"-yards and yards of fabric and fantasy after years of shortages and short skirts. We watch the magic happen through the eyes of Clara Nohant, a young "fashion chronicler," a fictional character injected into the story amid real-life modistes, drapers, pattern makers, muses, magazine editors, and movie stars who surrounded the designer. Particularly informative and educational are the representations of all the hard work that went into the creation of a Dior "line": from conception to realization to presentation, and the loyalty, inspiration, and support the designer's team provided him. Goetzinger's renderings of each character, from Dior's beloved dog "Bobby" to French grandmeres to Hollywood icons is distinct and memorable in every respect. And the clothes! The sweep and drape of the gowns and the exquisite cut of the suits and hats will make would-be designers and future fashion chroniclers shiver. Clara's fairy-tale journey from journalist to model to Dior confidante and client feels as fresh as if it happened last week. VERDICT This title is like a perfect Dior creation: stunningly designed, lavishly beautiful, effortlessly elegant. Fashionistas and fashionistos of all ages will devour this book hungrily.-Liz French, Library Journal

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 15, 2015

Christian Dior's "New Look" of 1947, his debut collection, went by a more evocative French name: Corolle, petals of a flower. After the fabric-sparing styles of World War II, these elitist, extravagant hourglass dresses were designed to make every woman "feel as beautiful as a duchess," as the designer put it. Goetzinger (Agence Hardy) creates a fictional narrator, young journalist Clara, who takes us inside the House of Dior as a model. It's taxing, complicated teamwork creating 200 designs to be culled into nearly a hundred new dresses twice a year, and we meet Dior's staff, the steel-eyed fashion journalists, rich clients, and hovering celebrities. The lovely watercolor art portrays the clothes with affectionate romanticism; many drawings are splashed over one or two pages, as when assistants lower fabulous evening gowns down from the balcony into the models' dressing room. VERDICT More homage than biography or nuanced analysis, this beautifully rendered work skimps on depth and social issues. However, the comprehensive back matter fills in plenty about the designer and his fashion world. Haute couture fans will appreciate this; it is also recommended for collections on the garment industry and the postwar period.--M.C.

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2015
Via the fictional journalist turned model Clara Nohant, Goetzinger frames the story of the House of Dior, its revered namesake, and the indelible impression the two left on fashion. Beginning with the startling New Look structured, waist-hugging dresses with exaggeratedly full skirtsthat Dior debuted on Paris runways in the late 1940s, Clara follows the well-loved designer's meteoric rise. The English translation leaves a few French words and phrases in Clara's narration and conversations with the behind-the-scenes crew, which gives readers a fly-on-the-wall view of the frenzied flurry to draw, sew, and fit the couture creations. Goetzinger's detailed, expressive faces and figures seem to be illuminated from within, and the garments themselves are a great tribute to the author's background in fashion illustration. A muted watercolor palette conveys tone in the model's largely indoor universe, and bursts of bold color leap from the page in this delightful look at Fashion Week before social media. An obvious pick for those who appreciate graphic novels featuring female leads, but hand this to Francophiles and historical- and women's-fiction readers, too.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)