A love letter to fashion, Paris, and the House of Dior, Girl in Dior (Jeune fille en Dior) brings French superstar Annie Goetzinger to the US. One of the rare Grandes Dames of comics in France, Goetzinger is well known for her blend of the historical and nostalgic, and a sumptuous Art Nouveau-influenced style.
The heroine, Miss Clara Nohant, is a fictional creation serving as our viewpoint on the rise of fashion legend Christian Dior and the fierce loyalty he inspired in those around him. Given little personality of her own, the cub reporter gazes in wonder upon his creations, with her mother and grandmother giving their own, generationally different, opinions.
For those looking for a hard-hitting historical expose, be warned—this is a feather light kiss upon history, with only a slightly belligerent sabre rattle of socialist concern, but oh the dresses. The beautiful, stylish, inspired dresses. Goetzinger’s background in fashion is apparent not only in the flowing lines of the countless outfits and the way they gloriously capture the light, but in the layouts, backgrounds, and characters of the entire comic.
This is for fans of beauty and refinement, both in comics and in clothing, an indulgent present for those who love fashion and the female form.
Goetzinger has been working in comics since the ‘70s, and while this is far lighter than most of her body of critically acclaimed work, it’s lovely to see a subject often derisively dismissed as “feminine” being treated with such love and respect. A guilty pleasure? No guilt required!
Girl in Dior opens with a quote from Dior himself: “In a machine age, dressmaking is one of the last refuges of the human, the personal, the inimitable.” Comics, perhaps, is a similar refuge.
Girl in Dior (978-1-56163-914-4) comes out on March 1st from NBM.
