October 1950. A tunic coat by Dior, apparently shot on the streets of Paris by Richard Rutledge. Relatively unknown today, he is one of the most frequently published photographers in Vogue, Glamour and House & Garden during the late 1940s and through the 1950s. That could be to do with his versatility as well as his talent. He is comfortable shooting in black and white and colour; in the studio and outdoors; with different format cameras; fashion, portraits, travel, still life. A caption on the back of the photo reads:
DIOR #101 Guilleri, BLANKET FABRIC TUNIC
Tunic coat of heavy Oxford grey blanket fabric demonstrating the omnipresent three-quarter tunic cinched tightly at the waist by a leather belt. The huge slashed pockets set on obliquely and the narrow sleeves are two other typical Dior points. This tunic business is among the most encompassing fashions in all of the collections. Slim black skirt beneath.