THE HOUSE OF
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Christian Dior was born in January 1905, Granville,
Included in Dior’s 1947 debut collection, The iconic
France. His Childhood home and garden in which
Bar Suit became the archetype for the ‘New Look’
he grew up in were constant inspirations for his
style that made Dior internationally famous and
deigns later in life. After leaving school he took over
signified a new era for French couture. .
an art gallery and sold works by artists such as Pablo
After Dior’s sudden death in 1957 his assistant,
Picasso. Following the onset of the great depression
Yves Saint Laurent, was appointed artistic director.
and his military service, Dior struggle with the
After being drafted for the army, Saint Laurent was
loss of his brother, mother and family business and
replaced by Marc Bohan who is credited for defining
turned to selling his fashion sketches to earn money.
a new a era and the ‘Slim look’ silhouette. In 1997
He then went on to work with designers including
John Galliano was named the new creative director,
Robert Piguet, Lucien Lelong and Pierre Balmain
followed by Raf Simons in 2012. In 2015 Maria
before founding his own fashion house, The House
Grazia Chiuri, was the first woman to be appointed
of Dior, in Paris 1946.
creative director for Christian Dior.
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MARIA
GRAZIA
CHIURI “I try to speak about women now, and for the future. Dior has to be about female empowerment”
Italian fashion designer, Maria Grazia Chiuri is the current creative director for Christian Dior. Chiuri was born in 1964, Rome. She studied at Istituto Europeo di Design before joining Fendi as a designer in 1989. In 1999 she became an accessory designer for Valentino and 2008 she became co-creative director with Piccioli. Chiuri received the CFDA international award in 2015. In 2016 Chiuri become creative director at Dior where she has taken the brand’s focus
on traditional femininity and moved towards representing and appealing to the modern woman. One of the key themes Chiuri explores is Feminism, making fashion statements that promote female rights, freedom, strength and independence. Throughout her collections Chiuri collaborates and is inspired by many female artists including the works of Georgia O’Keefe and Mickalene Thomas, as seen in the 2020 cruise show.
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KIERNAN
SHIPKA Actress, Kiernan Shipka’s personal style and aesthetic has elements of Dior’s classic femininity, particularly in the silhouettes. Often spotted in floral patterns, Her image fits perfectly with the concept behind the ‘Dior en Fleurs” collection. She also has a great interest in fashion and styling, inspired by the costume designer for Mad Men, Janie Bryant. “Mad Men introduced me to the power of fashion” Shipka said in an interview for weekly magazine, 2016. Her style is also fun and edgy which is why she appeals to the younger demographic as well as her recent role as Sabrina in ‘The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina’, which has an audience of mainly young adults. She was drawn to the role for the character’s strong will and the show’s feminist content which reflects, who she is, who she strives to be and what she finds important.
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DIOR IN
MARRA
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AKECH
CRUISE 2020
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COMMON
GROUND “Culture teaches us to live together, teaches us that we’re not alone in the world, that other people have different traditions and ways of living that are just as valid as our own.” – Tahar Ben Jelloun
The 2020 cruise show, held in Marrakech, Morocco, explored tradition and the celebration of different cultures. Director, Maria Grazia Chiuri collaborated with different artists including designer and stylist Pathé Ouédraogo (Pathé‘O). Pathé is known for working with Nelson Mandela and was asked by Chiuri to create shirt that paid tribute to the late president of South Africa. The focus of the collection was the signature Toile de Jouy fabrics produced by Uniwax, an atelier
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that specialises in wax printing, a practice used commonly throughout Africa. The set of the collection’s show was created in collaboration with the artisans of Sumana, an association that aims to keep the traditional women’s crafts of Moroccan tribes going. These traditions are passed down from generation to generation but are in danger of disappearing. The techniques the artisans use include painting on pottery, the art of weaving and vegetal dyeing to create cushions, pottery pieces and a woven coat.
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THE MAKING OF
DIOR EN
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FLEURS The concept and collection, Dior en Fleurs, meaning Dior in bloom, was inspired by the medieval period, particularly drawing inspiration from the floral motifs found in embroidered tapestries as well as the rich tones of red, blue and gold. The purpose of my design was to create a garment that showcased hallmarks of both denim and luxury. The Super Future top is inspired by Dior’s iconic bar jacket silhouette and features a floral pattern bleached onto classic blue denim, symbolising the brand’s femininity. I adapted the traditional denim hardware, by including buckles on the belt, a signature Dior uses throughout their
The design of the garment focuses on using line to create a fitting bodice and accentuated shoulders, which makes a flattering yet interesting shape. Repetition is used to create the pattern that adds a sense of texture and movement. The floral patterns explored throughout the design process were continued throughout the campaign images, collateral and publication, along with bright colours to create a fresh and fun look. This works with both the brand ambassador, Kiernan Shipka, who has a feminine style and often wears floral prints and the younger target audience of 18 – 25-year-olds. The Dior
collections, and large lux eyelets down the back. The lace up back also allows the garment to be adjustable to size and references another element of medieval design and fashion.
en Fleurs collection appeals to those with a chic and sophisticated yet casual style therefore the collection will be featured in a pop up store located in Paris, France.
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POP-UP
IN PARIS In 2019 Dior opened a boutique on the famous Avenue des Champs-Élysées that showcases both men and women’s ready-to-wear alongside accessories. Surrounded by other luxury boutiques and flagship stores, the location attracts the appropriate target market and being situated on what’s known to be the most beautiful avenue in the world, it’s the perfect store to feature a collaboration that focuses on relaxed elegance. Being in the centre of Paris, the location not only draws a lot of customers but is also a prime spot for advertising, especially with the louvre just minuets away, the illustrative elements of the campaign can be highlighted.
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