Sketching at the Dior Exhibit
I’m revisiting one of my favorite exhibits I visited last year. Christian Dior: Designer of Dreams was exhibited at the Brooklyn Museum in September 2021 and the exhibit just closed three days ago. I remember back in 2017 when this exhibit celebrating Christian Dior’s heritage and legacy, was announced to open at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs. I gasped and immediately looked up flights to Paris. It was all wishful thinking, but my wish came true when I just happened to be in New York for Fashion Week last September. I had made my schedule for the week, what shows I was attending and what days I would spend illustrating. When walking the streets of New York, I saw posters for the exhibition and thought, “No way, it can’t be!” Oh, but it was. I immediately booked a ticket and a ticket for the virtual talk with Maria Grazia Chiuri and artist Judy Chicago. Although my week was booked up with fashion week and sketching, I made space for this. It can be easy to forget to have fun drawing when you have a career as an illustrator. For me, fashion week can be overwhelming so I took this opportunity to have fun while taking care of my well being (I’m an introverted extrovert and the crowds and celebrity of the whole experience can be too much when you just want to be there for the creative experiences).
So yes, I was not going to just nerd out about Christian Dior, but I was very much going to bring a clipboard, paper, and drawing supplies to the exhibit. I was not going to miss this chance to draw these gowns in real life! I did have a bit of hesitation about doing it because some museums don’t let you bring a backpack into an exhibition. I also didn’t want to show up looking like a dork (cue Laney Boggs falling over with all her art bags and art supplies while wearing her art apron). I met up with fashion illustrator Richard Haines earlier in the week and told him about the exhibit. He was very encouraging when I told him of my plan to sketch at the exhibit with a no-doubt-about-it, “Why not!? Go for it!” Richard went to the exhibit as well and he shared his sketches in his Instagram stories – they were fabulous of course!
So this is just a snippet of my Dior exhibit visit along with the sketches I did. They are available for purchase here. It wasn’t a pain to draw at the exhibition. I found there to be plenty of room to draw and no one was bothered by me standing there drawing. In fact, I overheard several people express annoyance in not having thought of bringing their drawing supplies. One person even said my sketches were good. So no Laney Boggs failing moments, just inspiring creativity!
I wish I knew where the exhibit was going to next. I searched the internet far and wide, but alas, no info. In the meantime, if my photos don’t suffice, here are articles with better images of the exhibition. If you’re a fashion illustrator, feel free to use my photos for reference (image that you were there yourself) and do share them with me by tagging [at]therizamag.
Just in case you’re curious, I used a 17x13 inch drawing clipboard with a cut-out handle, 9x12 inch Strathmore Pastel Paper Pad (I love the texture, but it would’ve been more convenient to have a drawing pad that was spiral bound), and a Sharpie Peel-Off China Marker.
Oh and one last thing, the Brooklyn Museum is having an exhibition honoring the life and work of Virgil Abloh that opens this July. Here’s more information. I don’t know the details of the exhibition yet, but I have high hopes that some of his designs will be there and I will be there with my drawing supplies.
Sketches are available for purchase in Victoria-Riza’s art shop here.
