Anna Bevilacqua 1702504 Fashion Culture and Context AD4603 Make a case study of a 20th C /21st century fashion brand – explore the development of the marketing through at least two decades and analyse the cultural influence on the brand over that period Christian Dior: A fashion revolutionary or disastrous designer? Dior’s Marketing and Cultural Influences from the New Look of 1947 to Miss Dior in 1967. The House of Dior is one of the most prestigious, richest, and luxurious Haute Couture fashion brands in the world, only facing competition from the likes of brands such as: Chanel, Prada, Gucci and Burberry. Sitting at the very top of the fashion market levelling triangle, the brand has been valued at $47.7 billion as of May 2017, and today Dior has over four thousand Dior stores in thirty-five countries across all corners the globe. For decades, ever since the house’s first collection launch in 1947; The New Look, the world of Dior has evoked feelings of glamour, sophistication, fun and elegance in the minds of all its consumers, all eager for a look into the brand, be that through garment or shoe purchases, that only the elite members of society and celebrities can afford, or through a makeup or perfume purchase, that the average, working to middle class consumer can afford. In terms of marketing for The House of Dior today, Dior still places the pricing of its products high, thus aiming at a higher class of consumer for the most part, and also celebrity muses, whom include Natalie Portman, the face of the Miss Dior perfume since 2010, and Johnny Depp. This higher price point helps to keep the polished brand image strong, even after seventy years. Using celebrity muses in the brand is a clever promotional method that was used by Dior even when the New Look was first introduced. Promotion for Dior today therefore caters for premium, fashion enthusiasts, through advertising through renowned fashion publications such as Vogue Magazine, Elle Magazine, Harper’s Bizarre and Men’s GQ, amongst others, and also through mass media including posters, online adverts, and television adverts, creating an omni channel campaign. This therefore gains Dior a wide clientele base to be able to purchase from the brand, and to also purchase their cosmetics, which are the products sales that gain the most money for the brand. However, as successful as Dior maybe today, in 2018, back in 1947, when Christian Dior first launched his New Look, the initial marketing for the brand was difficult, thus creating a challenging start for a brand that is well known and loved now days. After the clothing restraints of World War Two, where make do and mend and fabric rationing were the “new normal” in terms of fashion styles and consumption, in 1947, Fashion Designer Christian Dior, whom had previously worked for Balmain helping to dress Nazi Officers and their Wife’s during the war, introduced his first women’s clothing line under his brand “The house of Dior.” Marcel Boussac whom Dior had previously been introduced to, financed the opening of The House of Dior, and helped the Dior brand to join his fashion conglomerate “Groupe Boussac.” This first collection was called The Corolle Line and included ninety beautifully designed dresses, skirts, jackets, corsets and hats, all of which were extremely lustrous, with heavy, full length skirts, full busts and tight waists. The garments were made from satin and silk and embellished with lace, ribbon, buttons and embroidery. Through the design and marketing of this collection, Dior wanted to reject the utilitarian forms of female dressing, that gave women freedom of movement to work in the factories, to bring back female
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