By In honour of what would have been Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III of Monaco's 60th wedding anniversary, the Christian Dior Museum in Granville, France will open an exhibit dedicated to the former Princess of Monaco's irreverent style. On April 29, Grace of Monaco: Princess in Dior will showcase 85 dresses from the Hollywood star's personal collection, which have been preserved in the Monaco palace since her death in 1982.
Fashion historian Florence Müller, who curated the exhibition, had access to Kelly's archives and realised and one third of the pieces were Dior. Kelly's close-knit relationship with Marc Bohan, former Dior creative director, was reflected not only in the starlet's wardrobe, but in his Bohan's paternal relationship with Kelly's two daughters.
“Bohan perfectly understood her role: she needed to be stylish, but respectful of etiquette,” Müller said. “Before Grace of Monaco, royalty remained a private affair: princesses weren’t seen in public as much, or photographed by the press,” explained Müller. “She represents a moment of change of etiquette, a real rupture.”
Words to Live By: Grace Kelly
Kelly famously worn a Dior gown to her engagement ball at New York's Waldorf Astoria in 1956 and also chose to wear a dress from the Dior Couture Fall/Winter 1956 collection for her first portrait as Princess Grace of Monaco. Her casual dress also included tweed suits and shirt-dresses from the French house.
