First Christian Dior fashion show in India was in 1962: Book

New Delhi: Contrary to popular belief, this is not the first time that Dior has held a fashion show in India. In fact, Parisian models walked the ramp showcasing products of the luxury giant way back in 1962 on the lawns of TIFR in Mumbai, says a new book.

This interesting snippet finds mentioned in a forthcoming book "Homi J Bhabha: A Life" written by Bakhtiar K Dadabhoy and published by Rupa Publications.

The fashion show aimed to raise money for charity.

In the book, the author, among other things, writes about Bhabha's long-time companion and partner Pipsy Wadia.

Though married to a businessman named A B Wadia, Pipy and Bhabha "appeared in public freely, with no stigma attached to their relationship", Dadabhoy writes.

He then talks of Pipsy, who was the vice president of Bombay's Time and Talents Club, organising the Christian Dior fashion show at Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) in 1962 which "saw Parisian models walking the ramp at the west lawn".

Mithoo Coorlawala, an independent researcher, was the secretary of the club and a close friend of Pipsy.

"Obviously, it was Pipsy who got Bhabha to agree to host the event at TIFR since, without his support, there would have been no show. Coorlawala mentioned how she and Rodabeh (JRD Tata's sister) had corresponded with Dior and organised the show," the book says.

"Pipsy had set up the venue. A ramp was erected from behind the west canteen, and it ran into the lawn. The models and Marc Bohan's Autumn Collection of that year came from France," it says.

The book quotes Uttara Parikh, a former deputy commercial director of Air India who was then a young student at the Government Law College in Bombay, recalling being one of the sari models: "The Dior girls wearing the western wear collection were deeply impressed by the colour, pattern, and texture of the silk and cotton fabrics the Indians wore. Their professionalism and efficiency impressed us." After the show, Bhabha hosted an elegant dinner.

"It was remarkable that an institution famous for its scientific research should have hosted a fashion show on its premises. Perhaps, it was only Bhabha's international exposure and breadth of vision that allowed these two dissimilar cultures to coexist in the same space, even if it was only for one evening," the book says.

Dior's Thursday show at the Gateway of India in Mumbai will see creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri presenting its 2023 pre-fall collection.