Five Female Fashion Icons of their Day with Olivier Courteaux

Audrey Hepburn – Added lecture!

Hepburn’s style, subject to prominence after her rise to fame in the 1950s, was associated with timelessness and tailoring. Hepburn had a confident sense in her own manner of dressing, and sought simple, refined pieces to emphasize her silhouette and profile. She believed that women should find their own complementary “look”, rather than rely on trends, and accessorize it seasonally. Hepburn invested in quality pieces, and put intentional thought into her ensembles by occasion. She admired simple lines and elegant looks, designed to complement her, rather than stand out.

In the series:

Mar. 2 – Marie Antoinette
Mar. 9 – Empress Eugénie
Mar. 23 – Marlene Dietrich
Mar. 30 – Jackie Kennedy
Apr. 13 – Princess Diana
Apr. 20 – Audrey Hepburn *Added lecture*

Olivier Courteaux received his B.A. in History, M.A. in War and Conflict Studies and Ph.D. in Contemporary International Relations from the University of Paris-Sorbonne. He has lectured at various Canadian universities, including Ryerson and the Royal Military College of Canada.

Five Female Fashion Icons of their Day with Olivier Courteaux

Princess Diana

From the moment she got engaged to Prince Charles, Diana captured our hearts. The somewhat dowdy young aristocrat quickly learned how to create her own style and, more importantly, use fashion as an extension of her warm and charismatic personality. As a member of the royal family, she was not afraid to bring a touch of originality to her outfits, while displaying a perfect sense of style and taste. Following her divorce, she, more than ever, used fashion to make statements and to show the world she was free to pursue her own dreams. Who can forget her famous “revenge dress”, the black plunging Christina Stambolian dress, which remains her most iconic look?

In the series:

Mar. 2 – Marie Antoinette
Mar. 9 – Empress Eugénie
Mar. 23 – Marlene Dietrich
Mar. 30 – Jackie Kennedy
Apr. 13 – Princess Diana **Changed from Mar. 30**
Apr. 20 – Audrey Hepburn

Olivier Courteaux received his B.A. in History, M.A. in War and Conflict Studies and Ph.D. in Contemporary International Relations from the University of Paris-Sorbonne. He has lectured at various Canadian universities, including Ryerson and the Royal Military College of Canada.