Miss Dior Exhibition is designed by OMA’s Shohei Shigematsu. Miss Dior: Stories of a Miss, an exhibition at Tokyo’s Roppongi Museum, spans 78 years of the creative history and legacy of the renowned Miss Dior perfume, which debuted in 1946 alongside “The New Look,” which launched the House of Dior.
Seven rooms are used to tell the tale of Miss Dior, each of which highlights a distinct aspect of the designer. The exhibition’s materials highlight the fragrance, its artifacts, and the numerous sources of inspiration and partnerships that contributed to its widespread cultural influence.
Conceiving a space to experience something as immaterial as a scent was an interesting challenge, but Miss Dior represents a core identity of the Maison shaped by a multitude of stories behind the fragrance. To reflect the diverse contents, auras, and narratives, we designed the exhibition to reveal new perspectives of timeless iconographies and draw new threads across distinct themes. Significant motifs and inspirations are translated into surreal environments transporting viewers into the world of Miss Dior.
Shohei Shigematsu, Partner, OMA
Archival antiques and modern merchandise, couture and ready-to-wear, historical originals and whimsical reproductions, artist renditions and referential artworks, classic graphics and contemporary campaigns—all combine to tell multiple stories rather than just one. Every setting is intended to capture the diversity of the Miss Dior vibe. Exaggerated scales and vivid hues are used to communicate both reverent history and youthful vitality. A variety of materials and geometries are used to communicate strong shapes and elegant features.
Design Concept and Narrative
“Miss Dior: Stories of a Miss” functions similarly to a “Avant Goût” (or preview) of the upcoming exhibition. Reproductions, relics, and other items by Miss Dior are set up in custom cases and shown as a gallery wall.
Every case reflects the precise shape of the object it holds, bringing attention to the singular forms, showcasing the specific artifacts’ small scale, and projecting their individual shapes beyond their actual size. A 360-degree spinning replica of the newest Miss Dior perfume bottle is displayed opposite the wall and can be seen from the exterior of the museum.
“Miss Dior by Eva Jospin” is a classically designed domed room made of finely embroidered tapestries by the French artist and longtime House friend Jospin. It was influenced by buildings such as the Villa Giulia in Rome.
Here, the elaborate and priceless special edition of the fragrance created by Jospin is highlighted by a single vitrine in the center of the space, in contrast to the absurdly huge bottle in the preceding chamber.
The five floral smells of the newest Miss Dior Parfum are presented to viewers in “Fields of Flowers.” A single flower is abstracted and extended in the space by layers of flowing fabric draped into a curving shape that is evocative of petaled flowers or the painstaking fabrication of a couture skirt.
The “solid” chamber has been divided into five distinct nooks. Visitors can inhale the scent of a single immersive landscape floral note ingredient of the fragrance by using a human scale atomizer shaped like a flower bud located within each alcove.
The 1967 debut of the House of Dior’s first ready-to-wear line, the namesake collection, is showcased in “Miss Dior: The Birth of Ready-to-Wear.” Saturated colors are used to recreate the line’s original illustrated graphic logo at different scales on a fragmented, geometric form.
The room adopts the shape of a circle and dome and provides an orthogonal, rectilinear shape with a central topography of plinths as a counterpoint to the curved forms of the preceding rooms.
The exhibition titled “Dior Illustrated” features pieces created by René Gruau, the first House of Dior illustrator, and Mats Gustafson, the current illustrator. A close-up view of the craftsmanship and details is provided by the life-size prints of the fragile pieces, many of which are replicated for the first time.
Each artist’s print is positioned along a winding path between opposing walls. The walls are redesigned as “soft” flowing curtains made of fiberglass to create a distinctive form, drawing inspiration from the weight and softness of the floor-to-ceiling curtains and drapery of both Gruau and Christian Dior’s studios.
“The Miss Dior Dream” is a journey through an undulating environment including iconic Miss Dior couture pieces combined with original artwork and perfume bottles. Every item of clothing is arranged on a raised washi-paper mound, providing eye-level views of unique pieces. Subtle display reflections are produced and a more modern material is introduced by metallic walls and flooring. Along with a ceiling covered in washi paper “clouds,” the immersive terrain transforms into a fantastical setting filled with romance, art, and the natural world.
Project Info
Designer: OMA New York
Partner-in-Charge: Shohei Shigematsu
Associate: Christy Cheng
Project Architect: Jan Casimir
Team: Baiyang Kong, Timothy Ho, Francesca Parmiggiani, Christine Dopple
Featured Artists: Eva Jospin, Yukimasa Ida, René Gruau, Mats Gustafson, Brigitte Neidermair, Sabine Marcelis, Liang Yuanwei, Haruka Kojin, Etsu Egami, Yuriko Takagi
