In Conversation with Carine Roitfeld and Brigitte Niedermair on UBS House of Craft x Dior

UBS House of Craft x Dior made its Asian debut in Singapore this month, taking over the New Art Museum at Whitestone Gallery with a multi-day exhibition. Building on its well-received New York showcase in June, the exhibition brings together fashion and photography curated by Carine Roitfeld and conceived by Brigitte Niedermair.

The showcase charts eight decades of Dior through the lens of its seven creative directors, from Christian Dior to Maria Grazia Chiuri. It features five never-before-seen photographs by Niedermair and an immersive room centred on Christian Dior’s iconic sketches and signature silhouettes. Select archival couture pieces and visual references from Dior Heritage are also shown in Asia for the first time, including sketches referencing Singapore, underscoring the Maison’s long-standing connection with the region.

“It has been incredibly rewarding to witness both the public and our clients immerse themselves in UBS House of Craft x Dior, experiencing firsthand the precision, skill, and dedication behind fashion’s highest craft,” says Jin Yee Young, Managing Director and Country Head of UBS Singapore. “Moments like these reflect what UBS has stood for over 160 years: a commitment to excellence and connecting people, ideas, and generations.”

Ahead, we sit down with Carine Roitfeld and Brigitte Niedermair to explore their creative vision for the exhibition, its impact, and other insights.

Given Dior’s vast history, how did you decide which pieces from the archive to include in the exhibition?

Carine Roitfeld: Parsing Dior’s archive and curating the exhibition was no easy feat. Working with Brigitte Niedermair, we consulted Perrine Scherrer, Director of Dior Heritage, to identify looks emblematic of each creative director and reflective of the cultural and historical context of their tenure. But we didn’t approach it like historians tracing a strict chronology—my eyes are always looking forward, not back.

The selection process was instinctive: I focused on pieces that felt timeless, alive, and relevant today. If a piece from the 1950s made us think, “I want to wear that now,” it was in. We wanted viewers to connect with these pieces across decades, so nothing on display could feel démodé.

We sought pieces that retained the architectural lines Christian Dior established, while allowing for a contemporary styling approach. The exhibition needed to embody the essence of Dior, honouring its heritage without being confined by it. Celebrating the audacity and creativity that defines the House, we created a dialogue between eras by juxtaposing pieces from different designers. For instance, we placed an archival Christian Dior jacket over a dramatic John Galliano gown. This process of juxtaposition was both joyful and meticulous, and offered a meaningful way to explore the enduring legacy of the House.

What was your guiding idea when bringing together couture and photography?

Brigitte Niedermair: Couture is inherently three-dimensional; it’s designed to move, to be felt, and to exist in the space around the body. My greatest challenge was translating that physicality into a still image—capturing the structure, weight, and meticulous craftsmanship that define true couture. 

I approached each piece almost architecturally. Lighting became my primary tool, not just to illuminate, but to reveal. The way light catches a fold, creates shadow in a drape, or accentuates the tension in a seam is how I sought to convey the garment’s remarkable construction. I wanted viewers to perceive the labour, to almost feel the texture of the fabric and the precision of each stitch through my photography.

While photography can never replicate the experience of wearing couture, it can capture something equally powerful—the evidence of human hands, the intelligence behind their design, and the soul embedded within the craft. This is the essence I aimed to make visible, offering viewers insight into the artistry and craftsmanship of Dior that elevates couture beyond clothing.

Looking at all the pieces together, what do you think defines Dior’s identity through all its eras?

CR: When looking through Dior’s archive for the exhibition, I consistently found myself returning to the founding principles established by Monsieur Dior himself: a celebration of femininity, elegance, and structure. The New Look silhouette—with its cinched waist and full skirt—was a historical moment that became a lasting symbol of the House. What’s truly remarkable is how each creative director who followed has reinterpreted these codes while preserving that timeless identity and unwavering commitment to craftsmanship.

But I believe that Dior’s enduring relevance stems from something deeper. The House has always celebrated a timeless ideal of elegance while staying in tune with the present—honouring its rich history without being bound by it. Each creative director builds on this strong foundation but never repeats it exactly. For me, this balance between tradition and innovation defines Dior’s DNA. True timelessness isn’t about preservation—it’s about evolution. That’s why an archival piece can feel so alive and modern today, and why Dior will continue to resonate for generations to come.

How do you balance showcasing technical skill with conveying emotion in the presentation?

BN: For me, there is no clear line between technical skill and emotion—precision itself is a form of reverence. When approaching a subject as rich in history as Dior couture with absolute technical discipline, the inherent emotion of each piece naturally emerges.

For the exhibition, I intentionally chose to shoot with a 4 x 5-inch camera. This slow, analog process mirrors the painstaking patience and devotion required for couture. It is a deliberate act of slowness that honours the human hand, translating exquisite craftsmanship into an emotional experience of restraint and quiet power.

Was there a particular era or creative director you felt deserved more attention or rediscovery in this show?

CR: The beauty of our approach lies in deliberately blurring the lines between the different creative directors, showing that the Dior legacy is bigger than any single name. By juxtaposing pieces from different eras with our contemporary—even rebellious—vision, we created a dialogue between them, giving each new relevance.

Personally, one of the most rewarding takeaways from curating the showcase was rediscovering the work of Marc Bohan. I’ll admit I knew very little about him, despite his being the longest-serving creative director in Dior’s history, with an incredible 29-year tenure at the House. I was genuinely struck by the modernity and wearability of his designs.

There’s a leopard-print ensemble by Bohan that has become one of my favourites—when we first saw it, it felt as though it could have come straight from a boutique this season. It’s a perfect example of how a brilliant designer can create pieces that transcend decades. That, to me, is the true expression of timelessness.

How do you see the role of exhibitions like this in shifting how people value craftsmanship — especially in a time of fast fashion and digital consumption?

CR: When institutions like UBS and Dior come together to celebrate craftsmanship, they make a bold statement about values—that in a world dominated by fast fashion and digital consumption, certain things are still worth the time, dedication, and artistry they demand. After all, haute couture is fashion’s laboratory, where true innovation happens unconstrained by commercial pressures or mass production. The savoir-faire behind a single garment—the hundreds of hours and skills passed down through generations—is what distinguishes genuine luxury from mere consumption.

What excites me most is how exhibitions like this have the power to inspire the future. Couture is the foundation of our entire industry. By revealing the inner workings of the atelier, we show the next generation that excellence is achievable, and that audacity and virtuoso craftsmanship still matter. For me, it’s about preservation with purpose—we’re not simply looking back; we’re ensuring that these skills and this level of ambition do not fade away.

BN: In a world consumed by speed and instant digital gratification, exhibitions like UBS House of Craft x Dior offer a necessary pause. They invite viewers to be present, to look closely, and to appreciate the skill, dedication, and time that goes into creating something extraordinary. When visitors stand before these large-format photographs, they don’t just see a garment—they experience its materiality, the evidence of human hands, and the countless hours of patient work. That visceral encounter can shift how people understand value.

For me, this project is like a love song to analog photography. I chose to shoot with a 4 x 5-inch camera, which allowed us to achieve an almost three-dimensional quality in the final prints that brought out the texture, structure, and physicality of the couture pieces in exceptional detail. This deliberate, analog approach mirrors the meticulous savoir-faire of couture itself. Every exposure was a precise, singular commitment—there was no room for error, no ability to take hundreds of images and select later.

There is something profoundly poetic about using a slow, considered photographic method to capture garments made with equal patience and devotion. My hope is that by photographing these pieces with such intentionality and craft, audiences will recognise that true value lies not in what can be produced quickly, but in what endures.

After walking through the exhibition, what do you hope visitors take away about craftsmanship?  

CR: I want people to leave understanding that behind every beautiful piece, there is an imaginative mind, a vision, a story—a life dedicated to this work. Craftsmanship isn’t abstract; it’s deeply human. When you talk to French people about Dior, it’s not just a brand—it’s a monument, like the Eiffel Tower. Everyone knows Dior, everyone loves Dior, because they first loved the man himself, Christian Dior. He wasn’t just a designer; he was a person with passions—his love for gardens and roses, and his little house on the coast. I never met him, yet his warmth and humanity are palpable in everything the House creates. That’s what made people fall in love, and that love has been passed down through generations.

I hope audiences walk away with a deeper appreciation for how each garment reflects someone’s hands, their expertise, and their devotion. When you understand a designer’s inspiration—their mood boards, their references, the world they were trying to create—you begin to see fashion not as objects to consume, but as expressions of human creativity and care. That connection between the person and the craft, between vision and execution, is what makes luxury meaningful. It’s what makes it last. That’s what I want people to feel when they leave this exhibition—that they’ve witnessed not just beautiful clothes, but human stories told through fabric, form, and extraordinary skill.

BN: I hope visitors take away an appreciation for intention and timelessness. Craftsmanship is not just about technique—it’s about patience in a world obsessed with speed. This exhibition offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the history of Dior, inviting visitors to step into the magical world of the House. It presents Christian Dior’s creative legacy across decades, revealing how each generation of designers has contributed to an evolving story while honouring the same foundational principles.

In fashion today, there is often confusion about what is truly handmade and what is produced industrially. UBS House of Craft x Dior gives audiences a chance to understand the meticulous craft behind couture—to see the difference between what is machine-made and what is created by human hands over hundreds of hours. 

Through this exhibition, I hope visitors recognise that true excellence requires dedication—a life devoted to mastering a specific skill. By valuing slowness and honouring this level of artistry, we ensure that such craftsmanship doesn’t fade away but continues to resonate powerfully for generations to come.

For more fashion news, click here.