Bar suit jacket
When and where was this item first created, and what practical purpose did it serve?
Christian Dior unveiled the Bar suit jacket on February 12, 1947, as part of his revolutionary “Corolle” collection at 30 Avenue Montaigne in Paris. This fitted jacket served as the cornerstone of Dior’s New Look silhouette, directly responding to wartime austerity and fabric rationing that had dominated women’s fashion for nearly a decade. The Bar jacket’s nipped waist and structured shoulders created an hourglass figure that required extraordinary amounts of fabric, making it a bold statement of post-war luxury and femininity.
Dior named it after the Bar at the Plaza Athénée hotel, where he often entertained clients. The jacket represented a complete rejection of wartime practicality, instead celebrating feminine curves through precise tailoring. Its creation required skilled couture techniques that had been largely abandoned during the war years.
The Bar jacket cost approximately $500 in 1947, equivalent to over $6,000 today, making it accessible only to wealthy clientele. This exclusivity was intentional, as Dior sought to reestablish Paris as the global center of luxury fashion after years of wartime disruption and American fashion dominance.
Dior named it after the Bar at the Plaza Athénée hotel, where he often entertained clients. The jacket represented a complete rejection of wartime practicality, instead celebrating feminine curves through precise tailoring. Its creation required skilled couture techniques that had been largely abandoned during the war years.
The Bar jacket cost approximately $500 in 1947, equivalent to over $6,000 today, making it accessible only to wealthy clientele. This exclusivity was intentional, as Dior sought to reestablish Paris as the global center of luxury fashion after years of wartime disruption and American fashion dominance.
What are the key design features and construction methods of this item?
The Bar jacket features a dramatically fitted silhouette with a 20-inch waist achieved through complex internal structure including canvas interfacing, horsehair padding, and steel boning. The jacket extends to hip length with a sharply defined peplum that flares over the hips. Construction requires over 40 pattern pieces, each carefully shaped and hand-sewn with silk thread.
The shoulders feature subtle padding to create a soft, rounded line that contrasts with the severe tailoring of 1940s wartime suits. Dior’s team developed a unique “guêpière” or wasp-waist technique using multiple layers of interfacing to maintain the jacket’s shape without external corsetry. The jacket traditionally closes with hidden hooks and eyes rather than buttons to maintain clean front lines.
Sleeve construction follows traditional couture methods with hand-set sleeves and carefully shaped armholes. The jacket’s signature shawl collar rolls softly without interfacing, creating feminine contrast to the structured body. Each authentic Bar jacket required approximately 60 hours of hand-sewing by skilled couture seamstresses.
The shoulders feature subtle padding to create a soft, rounded line that contrasts with the severe tailoring of 1940s wartime suits. Dior’s team developed a unique “guêpière” or wasp-waist technique using multiple layers of interfacing to maintain the jacket’s shape without external corsetry. The jacket traditionally closes with hidden hooks and eyes rather than buttons to maintain clean front lines.
Sleeve construction follows traditional couture methods with hand-set sleeves and carefully shaped armholes. The jacket’s signature shawl collar rolls softly without interfacing, creating feminine contrast to the structured body. Each authentic Bar jacket required approximately 60 hours of hand-sewing by skilled couture seamstresses.
What cultural movements and social contexts featured this item?
The Bar jacket became the symbol of post-war feminine liberation and European cultural renaissance after years of wartime restriction. When Dior presented the collection, Carmel Snow of Harper’s Bazaar immediately declared it the “New Look,” a term that defined an entire fashion era. The jacket represented a direct challenge to wartime utility dressing and American sportswear influence that had dominated during the 1940s.
European women embraced the Bar jacket as a symbol of returning prosperity and traditional femininity. However, the style sparked controversy in fabric-rationed Britain, where protesters carried signs reading “Down with the New Look” and “Christian Dior go home. ” The British Board of Trade initially banned the importation of New Look garments due to excessive fabric usage.
American department stores like Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue became early champions, hosting trunk shows that drew massive crowds. The Bar jacket influenced Hollywood costume design, appearing in films starring Grace Kelly and Ava Gardner. Its hourglass silhouette directly influenced the emergence of 1950s suburban housewife fashion ideals.
European women embraced the Bar jacket as a symbol of returning prosperity and traditional femininity. However, the style sparked controversy in fabric-rationed Britain, where protesters carried signs reading “Down with the New Look” and “Christian Dior go home. ” The British Board of Trade initially banned the importation of New Look garments due to excessive fabric usage.
American department stores like Bergdorf Goodman and Saks Fifth Avenue became early champions, hosting trunk shows that drew massive crowds. The Bar jacket influenced Hollywood costume design, appearing in films starring Grace Kelly and Ava Gardner. Its hourglass silhouette directly influenced the emergence of 1950s suburban housewife fashion ideals.
Is this item still produced today, and how has it evolved over time?
The Bar jacket remains in production at Christian Dior, though modern versions incorporate contemporary construction methods and sizing standards. Today’s versions feature machine-sewn interfacing rather than hand-padded canvas, reducing production time from 60 hours to approximately 15 hours. Modern Bar jackets use synthetic interfacing materials that maintain shape better than traditional horsehair padding but lack the subtle moldability of original construction.
Contemporary versions often feature updated closures including concealed zippers or magnetic fastenings rather than traditional hooks and eyes. Current Dior collections reinterpret the Bar jacket silhouette in various fabrics including technical materials never available to the original 1947 design team. Modern sizing runs larger than 1940s standards, with today’s size 8 corresponding roughly to 1940s size 12 measurements.
The jacket’s influence extends beyond Dior to numerous fashion houses including Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs, and Phoebe Philo at Céline, who have created their own interpretations. Contemporary versions often feature machine-finished seams and fused interfacing rather than floating canvas construction. Ready-to-wear versions sacrifice some structural integrity for mass production efficiency.
Contemporary versions often feature updated closures including concealed zippers or magnetic fastenings rather than traditional hooks and eyes. Current Dior collections reinterpret the Bar jacket silhouette in various fabrics including technical materials never available to the original 1947 design team. Modern sizing runs larger than 1940s standards, with today’s size 8 corresponding roughly to 1940s size 12 measurements.
The jacket’s influence extends beyond Dior to numerous fashion houses including Tom Ford, Marc Jacobs, and Phoebe Philo at Céline, who have created their own interpretations. Contemporary versions often feature machine-finished seams and fused interfacing rather than floating canvas construction. Ready-to-wear versions sacrifice some structural integrity for mass production efficiency.
How do you identify authentic vintage versions of this item?
Authentic 1940s and 1950s Bar jackets feature hand-sewn silk thread construction throughout, with tiny, nearly invisible stitches averaging 18-20 per inch. Original pieces use natural horsehair padding in the chest and shoulder areas, creating a subtle resilience that synthetic materials cannot replicate. The internal canvas interfacing should be made from linen or cotton canvas, never synthetic fusible materials which weren’t available until the 1960s.
Authentic jackets bear small handwritten size markings in pencil on internal seams, typically showing both French and international sizing systems. Original Bar jackets feature genuine horn or mother-of-pearl buttons, often with small chips or natural variations that indicate age and authenticity. The internal construction shows evidence of hand-finishing with raw seam edges bound in silk or cotton bias binding, never serged or pinked edges common in machine production.
Authentic pieces exhibit characteristic aging patterns including slight fabric relaxation at stress points, natural oxidation of metal components, and subtle color variations where pieces were exposed to light. Original labels show “Christian Dior Paris” in specific typography that changed over decades, with 1940s labels featuring serif fonts and later periods showing sans-serif styling. Provenance documentation including original purchase receipts, alterations records, or previous owner history significantly increases authentication confidence and market value.
Authentic jackets bear small handwritten size markings in pencil on internal seams, typically showing both French and international sizing systems. Original Bar jackets feature genuine horn or mother-of-pearl buttons, often with small chips or natural variations that indicate age and authenticity. The internal construction shows evidence of hand-finishing with raw seam edges bound in silk or cotton bias binding, never serged or pinked edges common in machine production.
Authentic pieces exhibit characteristic aging patterns including slight fabric relaxation at stress points, natural oxidation of metal components, and subtle color variations where pieces were exposed to light. Original labels show “Christian Dior Paris” in specific typography that changed over decades, with 1940s labels featuring serif fonts and later periods showing sans-serif styling. Provenance documentation including original purchase receipts, alterations records, or previous owner history significantly increases authentication confidence and market value.
