Christian Dior’s first collection, later called the New Look, was named Corolle.
Dior presented the collection on 12 February 1947 at 30 Avenue Montaigne in Paris. Its name, Corolle, is a botanical term meaning the corolla or ring of petals surrounding a flower. The floral name reflected the collection’s rounded, feminine silhouette.
The phrase “New Look” was not Dior’s original title. Carmel Snow, editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar, reportedly exclaimed that the designs were “such a new look,” and the description quickly became the collection’s lasting public name. The line featured narrow waists, rounded shoulders and generous skirts extending below the calf.
A common mix-up is choosing Bar, which was a celebrated ensemble from the collection rather than its name. Envol was a later Dior line, while “New Look” is the nickname that history retained for Corolle.