An exhibition of Dior hats and another showcasing the presence of the French Haute Couture house in portuguese women’s press mark the reopening of the Museu da Chapelaria, in São João da Madeira. The exhibitions are open to the public until April 20th.

The Dior hat exhibition, organized in partnership with the Christian Dior Museum in Granville, seeks to demonstrate why Christian Dior (1905-1957) considered this accessory to be “the quintessence of femininity.” The exhibition brings together 15 hats designed by the French designer, offering a reflection on the importance of this accessory not only as an essential element of Dior’s style and Haute Couture but also as a historical and social symbol of a particular era and geography.

The second exhibition focuses on the presence of Maison Dior in the portuguese women’s press, based on research by the Museu da Chapelaria on three key magazines of the time — Eva; Modas & Bordados. Vida Feminina; and Voga — and analyzes the impact of Christian Dior’s ‘New Look’ on the Portuguese elite between 1947 and 1957.

The exhibition also highlights the launch, in 1954, of “The Little Fashion Dictionary” —where Christian Dior revealed style secrets and advised “what to wear, how to walk with grace, or what hat to wear on different occasions” — and reminds events such as the lecture the French designer gave in 1955 at the Sorbonne, where he was the first designer to philosophize about the Aesthetics of Fashion in the 700 years of the university’s history.

The Museu da Chapelaria reopened on January 25th after six months of renovation work. In addition to integrating more hats into the permanent collection, the renovation brought new features, such as the inclusion of content in English and Braille, and the implementation of technical conditions so that, in the future, audio descriptions can be added to the various contents, using multimedia equipment, with the aim of making visits more accessible and interactive.

“The interpretative content also has clearer and more accessible language, and with QR codes that allow visitors to view images of the factory that operated in the Museum’s building until the 1990s”, explained Tânia Reis, director of the Museu da Chapelaria, to Lusa.

“The heritage and human dimension of the hat-making industry are enhanced through the presentation of photographs from various periods of the factory’s operation. The narrative, which was previously only accessible during guided tours, is now available autonomously, with clear and accessible language.”

More information about the museum, here.

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