By Tricia Oliveira

From September 13 through November 10, the Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCA) Shanghai in partnership with the House of Dior, is hosting the 'Esprit Dior' exhibition, which tells a story of groundbreaking vision and unique savoir-faire, and showcases contributions by contemporary Chinese artists working in a variety of disciplines with a view to addressing the challenges of our era.

Esprit Dior bears witness to this interaction between fashion and aesthetics and between fashion and society. The surprising alliance of art and style is echoed in every moment of our everyday experiences, making life more beautiful as a whole.

The Esprit Dior exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art Shanghai recounts the fabulous history of the fabled Paris fashion house that is synonymous with haute couture.

On display are some 100 iconic dresses, design sketches, objets d'art, jewellery and perfumes borrowed exceptionally from the house archives. Photographs by Patrick Demarchelier provide a powerful stylistic commentary to guide the visitor through the themes and pieces exhibited.

As this highly informative exhibition weaves its way through historical and cultural references, a dialogue emerges between Dior creations and the works of contemporary Chinese painters, sculptors, videomakers and photographers, including Liu Jianhua, Lin Tianmiao, Qiu Zhijie, Yan Pei-Ming, Zeng Fanzhi, Zhang Huan, and Zheng Guogu, who have displayed their own interpretation of the Dior spirit.

For more information, go to //www.dior.com/couture/en_gb/the-house-of-dior/exhibitions/esprit-dior