The New Look
admonition ! This clause contains SPOILERS for The New Look episodes 1 - 3 .
Summary
The New Look , a newApple TV+ drama seriesabout the rise of the famous French manner designer Christian Dior released its first three episodes on February 14.The New Lookwill have 10 episodes and the first three instal what Christian and his rival Coco Chanel were doing during the Nazi job of France during World War II.They only share one scene inThe New Look’sfirst three instalment , but the narrative sets up some interesting interactions for future episodes once Christian establishes himself by founding his house DIOR .
The New Looktells the true storyof Christian Dior , Coco Chanel , and their many coeval from his beginnings as a interior decorator to his sudden end in 1957.The New Lookcasttake on the roles of real - life people , some whose names are more recognisable than others through their contributions to the fashion diligence or their involvement in World War II.Now thatThe New Lookepisodes 1 through 3 have tackled the wartime years , the next seven episodes are complimentary to focalize on fashion and the famous competition it created .
The trailer for The New Look shows a glimpse at the approaching Apple TV+ biographic drama , which come after the life of designer Christian Dior .
12Coco Chanel Doesn’t Respect Christian Dior
Their rivalry seemed one-sided
The New Lookepisode 1 began in Paris in 1955 follow Coco Chanel ’s riposte after she closed her dress shop at the commencement of World War II . Coco was giving an consultation while Christian Dior gave a speech to a chemical group of students at Sorbonne University , where he was being honored . When ask about Dior , Coco said,“he does n’t merit his praise”and that she felt sorry for all the students who had to“suffer him . ”Coco differentiate the press,“Christian Dior ruined Gallic couture , and I ’m coming back to save it . ”
However , this rivalry appear to be one - side , as Christian yield a very different reply when call for about Chanel . Regarding Coco ’s claim that she was going to regain her throne as couture royalty , he simply said,“I venture I will have to find somewhere else to sit down . ”Why their contention get down and how Dior may have really felt about her behind the scenes has yet to be explored inThe New Lookbut will likely be a major focus in the upcoming episode .
11Christian Dior Sold Dresses To Nazi Wives & Girlfriends
A student called him out
Another dubiousness Dior was ask by the students concerned his workplace during World War II and the German occupation of France . While Coco had closed up shop class at the start of the warfare , Dior , who was working for Lucien Lelong at the time , cover making frock . Since he specialized in nightgown and it was wartime , it was easy to deduce thathis client were the wife and girlfriends of Nazis .
Christian told the pupil that Chanel had her own business and an established name , while he was a“nobody"working for someone else . Dior called the Clarence Day of occupation“the darkest days of our lives . ”He added,“there is the trueness , but there is always another truth that lives behind it”beforeThe New Lookflashed back to Paris in 1943 , three years into the Nazi business , to search that trueness .
The New Look star Ben Mendelsohn talk over his approach to playing Christian Dior , affection for Maisie Williams , and thoughts on Secret Invasion .
10Catherine Dior Was A French Resistance Fighter
She fell in love with a founding Resistance member
In 1941 , Christian ’s younger baby Catherine Dior met Hervé des Charbonneries , a founding Resistance member . After falling in love with him , she join the movement herself . She worked as a cycle courier delivering pamphlet and map to the Resistance fightersand a picture inThe New Lookepisode 1 even showed her entice two Nazis to their end .
Like the students , the Resistance paladin judged Christian for making gowns for Nazi balls . Catherine told her brother not to make the dresses anymore , but he pointed out that they needed the money , which went almost completely to Catherine and the Resistance . Despite Christian ’s employment , he was in camera very supportive of the Resistance , and the only time he ever express having issues with Catherine ’s work was when it put her in risk .
9Coco Aligned Herself With Nazis
She dated a German military officer
On the other hand , Coco in private aligned herself with Nazis . Her nephew , André Palasse , had been direct as a prisoner of war in Germany , and Coco used her influence with her German friends to have him released . This included Baron Louis de Vaufreland , who went with Coco to help oneself beak her nephew up from the captive of warfare ingroup inThe New Look . The exchange was imply to be kept a secret for Coco ’s reputation .
Even more problematical was the amorous relationship she developed with Hans Günther von Dincklage , love inThe New Lookby the nickname Spatz , an officer in the German military intelligence . Through their relationship , Coco was able to persist at the Ritz Paris , which was also a German home base , and remain in high order . Coco ’s business organisation may have been close at the start of the warfare , but her personal relationships with Nazi officers countenance her to know a life of sumptuousness .
8Cristóbal Balenciaga Refused To Work With Nazis
He was more established than Christian
While working for Lelong inThe New Look , Dior saw making dresses for the wife and girlfriend of Nazis as a necessary iniquity . Like many others who judged Dior for his work , Spanish decorator Cristóbal Balenciaga tell his friends that he refused to work with Nazis . Balenciaga was one of 60 couture house let to stay on unfastened during the Nazi occupation of Paris . As he ’d been established for geezerhood and was still capable to influence , Balenciaga was in a more inside position than Dior regarding take clients .
7The Nazis Used Coco To Try And Get Close To Winston Churchill
She needed Elsa Lombardi’s help
With Chanel ’s business closed and her Judaic business partner having fled to the United States , the Nazis used their anti - Semite rhetoric to sympathise with her inThe New Look . The Germans require her to open up a house in Berlin , so the urban center could become the new couture capital of the world . They promised that they ’d help her get Chanel back in interchange for a connexion with Winston Churchill , whom she was ally with .
However , Coco had n’t blab out to Churchill in years and had to rely on an previous friend , Elsa Lombardi , to get her to meet with them in Madrid . Elsa had married a penis of the Italian Fascist Party and Spatz arrange for her to be fetch from Italy to receive with Coco . While Coco said she was reaching out to expect her to spouse with her when Chanel opened a new house in Milan , Elsa begrudge her sometime booster , as she believed she ’d steal her line thought .
When it came time to receive with Churchill inThe New Look , Elsa told him that Coco was collaborating with the Nazis and that she had nobble her from Italy . After having heard this , Churchill decide not to come to Milan . This meant that Coco could n’t fulfill her end of the deal with Walter Schellenberg , the capitulum of Nazi foreign news , and since she wanted to stay in France , she could not work during the war .
6Christian Refused To Meet With A Nazi’s Girlfriend
He had a moral line he wouldn’t cross
Though Christian reluctantly made dresses for the girlfriends and wives of Nazis during the occupation , he did set up moral limit he would n’t traverse inThe New Look . One of his customer , a girlfriend of a Nazi , was insistent on see with him for fittings . Dior repeatedly turn her down , not wanting to have to interact with her . This showed just how hard it was for Christian to make apparel knowing who was going to be wearing them and how important it was for him to keep a space from Lelong ’s guest .
5Catherine Was Sent To A Concentration Camp
Christian desperately tried to find and save her
While Christian refused to conform to with the Nazi ’s lady friend , he was given no other choice when there was a tear in her dress the night of a ball . When he finally determine her , she revealed that she had torn the dress on intention to be able to meet him . She warned him that the Gestapo was looking for Catherine , but it was too tardy , as she ’d already been take and was being rack in inquiry . Though Christian desperately try out to feel her , they eventually moved her to the Ravensbrück concentration camp .
Christian did everything he could , meeting with the Resistance to see if they had any information before eventually turning to his client to see if her Nazi fellow could aid her . They told him to take money , so he steal fabric from Lelong to render and facilitate her . When Lelong caught him , he helped his ally rather than fire him . The Nazi could only distinguish them what encampment Catherine had adopt her to , but could not help them any further .
An argument ensued between the Nazi and Jean , a Resistance paladin who had insisted on attending the meeting despite Christian being told to make out alone . When the Nazi shoot and killed Jean , Hervé returned the favour . Christian was lay waste to , believing that Hervéhad also killed his only possible way of saving his sister .
4Schellenberg Wanted To Be With Coco
She rejected his advances
As hearsay swirled that the Nazis would be leaving France , Coco scramble to make certain that she was not among the Resistance ’s list of enemies of France . This would necessitate her to give up the epithet of the Nazi police officer she knew inThe New Look , let in Spatz . At the same time , Schellenberg arranged a get together with Coco and made romantic advances at her , asking her to allow Paris and be with him in Germany . She spurn him and their conversation solidified her decision to give the Resistance the public figure they were asking for .
3Spatz Left Coco Behind In France
They betrayed each other
When Coco visit Schellenberg , he told her that Spatz was married and that he ’d ordered him to seduce her . This revelation made it easier for Coco to shit the man she ’d fallen in love with , outing his true identity element to the Resistance . Spatz told Coco that he was fleeing France and asked her to come with him , which she agreed to do so the Resistance could find him . However , he fled without her , and it seemed as though she would stay on on the list .
