Christian Berard, the Surrealist painter, seated on the floor, gazing at passing gowns during Christian Dior's Spring Fashion show, 1948. In 1947 Christian Dior created a sensational collection labelled the 'New Look.' His designs centred around gowns with an 18-inch waist, which focused attention on the bust and hips. He paired the nipped in waist with a full skirt, using a large amount of material. This was seen as luxuriously extravagant because of the rations upon material following the war. Dior developed his talents through a study of art which included painting, magazine illustration and European architecture.