hristian Dior was born in 1905 in Granville, a gorgeous seaside town on the coast of France near Normandy. He was born to wealthy parents, with his dad, Maurice, owning a large fertilizer company. When Christian, who had four siblings, was just five years old, his parents moved the whole family to Paris. Being a part of the most glamorous city in the world helped shape Christian’s budding interest in fashion and beauty. His family hoped he would aspire to be a diplomat or businessman, but Christian was more interested in art and fashion. One of his first jobs was selling his fashion sketches while he was in school. He sold each of those sketches for about 10 cents at the time. Can you imagine owning an original Christian Dior sketch?
Later, when he was 23 years old, his dad loaned him money to purchase a small art gallery. He sold a variety of artwork, including some by famed artist Pablo Picasso. Sadly, a few years later, during the Great Depression, his mother and brother died, and his father experienced financial troubles common at the time, so Christian had to find another way to earn an income. After a stint in the army, Christian spent the next few years working in a handful of fashion houses.
Finally, in 1946, Christian found a partnership with Marcel Boussac, a successful businessman and one of the wealthiest men in France at the time, who wanted to back the budding young designer in his own fashion house. It began with six million francs, 85 employees, and access to Marcel’s textile companies for materials. The first collection he presented was in 1947; it was called “Corolle”, which was a botanical definition of flower petals. Christian was always passionate about flowers throughout his career, which can be seen through many of his designs and the direction that Dior took in the following decades.
Christian’s first collection was a smashing success. One of the best fashion magazines at the time, Harper’s Bazaar, called his work “The New Look.” It was a career-defining moment for Christian, establishing the main aesthetic of the brand with a very feminine silhouette, narrow waist, full skirts in an A-line pattern, and fabrics
CHRISTIAN’S
LECTION WAS A ING SUCCESS. ONE BEST FASHION AT THE TIME, HARPER’S ZAAR, CALLED
“THE NEW LOOK.”
CAREER-DEFINING
FOR CHRISTIAN, ING THE MAIN
OF THE BRAND FEMININE SILHOUETTE ROW WAIST, FUL
CHRISTIAN DIOR
“I HAVE DESIGNED FLOWER WOMEN”
Christian Dior
DIORLING 1963
Considered a chypre fragrance, a family of fragrances that leans toward citrus notes, Diorling was an interesting new scent for Dior. Hyacinth, bergamot, leather, and patchouli are some of the notes in this heavier fragrance. It is available today but only at the flagship store in Paris and in Harrods in London.
EAU SAUVAGE 1966
Eau Sauvage was the first men’s fragrance to be part of the line. It’s still sold to this day, and you may have seen the commercials featuring actor Johnny Depp with his guitar and low-cut Dior shirt, standing in a desert looking very handsome. The notes are considered to be a classic men’s citrus fragrance with lemon, rosemary, and musk. Elegant and sexy, this is a much-loved fragrance that both men and women can wear in this modern era.
The Saddle Bag
The Saddle Bag was created for the Spring 2000 line by John Galliano. It has a classic saddle shape with a large “D” on the stirrup clasp. The symbolism of the bag was meant to take into the new era going from 1999 to 2000. It showed up everywhere at the time, with Sarah Jessica Parker from “Sex and the City” and Paris Hilton carrying the bag to red carpet events around the world. Today, the Saddle Bag is still offered at Dior with fresh updates and in every possible color you can imagine, such as “Cedar Green Grained Calfskin” and “Powder Pink.” You can also get it with the Oblique Dior monogram logo or with a fun “Toile de Jouy Soleil” motif, which layers suns and moons together in white and navy blue to represent the four seasons.
Dior Book Tote
For those who need to carry a lot of different things around during their day, Dior came out with the Book Tote. This is a large tote bag that was created by Marc Bohan in 1967. It is crafted with embroidered textiles in different colors, usually with the Oblique Dior logo and with Christian Dior in large letters on a middle stripe around the bag. Today, it comes in four different sizes: mini, small, medium, and large. It can also be embroidered with your name, initials, or pretty much any fun phrase that you want, as a specialty service. So many celebrities, such as Jessica Alba, Victoria Beckham, and Karlie Kloss, travel with this bag that it is considered a cult classic.
Bobby Bag
The Bobby Bag is a lot of fun. It was named after Christian Dior’s favorite dog, which was often seen at the flagship store in Paris in the early days of Dior. Many of his collections paid tribute to this four-legged friend. The Bobby Bag has a crescent shape with an adjustable strap and comes in a variety of materials, such as jacquard, calfskin, and canvas. The CD logo is present on the bag in a gold finish. The updated design, which is currently available at Dior, was created by Maria Grazia Chiuri. She has said that this bag is a “tribute to loyalty.”
“TO BE DIOR IS TO BE EFFORTLESSLY CHIC AND IMPECCABLY DRESSED.”
Jessica Alba
Natalie Portman
One of the most recognizable ambassadors for Dior is Natalie Portman. This actress has been the face of Miss Dior, the fragrance, and some of the cosmetics lines since 2010. She’s been in multiple commercials and has featured in gorgeous Dior clothing in a variety of exotic locations. In the latest commercial for Miss Dior, she’s seen lip-syncing, dancing around, and asking “What would you do for love?” It’s a dynamic commercial that perfectly captures the heartfelt spirit of Miss Dior.
MARION COTILLARD
Marion Cotillard is another notable ambassador for Dior: from 2008 to 2015, she showed up on many red carpets in fabulous Dior designs. At the 2013 BAFTA Awards, she wore a Raf Simons creation that was bright yellow, strapless, and had the most interesting mid-thigh cutout. The billowy design around the hips led to a straight floor-length look that was cutting-edge fashion in haute couture.
ANYA TAYLOR-JOY
Anya Taylor-Joy provided another fun Academy Award look for the 2024 show when she appeared a sequined Dior dress. The colors were silvery gray and cream, with a strapless bustier top leading into a floor-length layered scalloped skirt that was embroidered with petals and pearls. It was a classic and modern Dior look all at the same time, which Anya was able to wear effortlessly.
One of the biggest talking points about fashion in the modern era is sustainability. The House of Dior, with its haute couture and luxury ready-to-wear range, does not have the detrimental impact on the environment that is associated with fast fashion. Dior is collected, cherished, and much loved by the people who are lucky enough to buy the brand.
One of Dior’s best initiatives is its Dream In Green initiative. This is a very modern commitment to the environment that takes Dior into a new era with sustainability in mind. The concept of Dream In Green comes from Christian Dior’s love of nature. He constantly tended to his gardens and flowers, and his passion for them continually showed up in this work.
DIOR
UNFOLDED
Step into the enchanting realm of Dior, where fashion meets fantasy and elegance reigns supreme. In this captivating journey through the iconic house of Christian Dior, you’ll uncover the stories behind the legendary couturier and the glamorous figures who have graced his creations.
From the red carpets of Hollywood to the catwalks of Paris, Dior has captivated the hearts of celebrities and models alike. Dive into the dazzling world of stars like Elizabeth Taylor, Princess Margeret and Rihanna, who have all embraced the timeless allure of Dior with grace and style.
Explore the evolution of fashion through the lens of Dior’s visionary designers, from the revolutionary New Look of the 1950s to the modern elegance of today’s haute couture. With stunning imagery and exclusive insights, this book offers a front-row seat to the magic of Dior and the celebrities who have made it an enduring symbol of glamour and sophistication.
