History of Dior - Love Story of the Luxury Brand

The story of the most famous luxury brand - The fashion house of Christian Dior. From the french army to haute couture, Dior has written the history of the fashion industry.

A brand that started in Paris and is now popularly known and loved all around the globe, Dior- its unique style has influenced the fashion world since its beginning. Trendy but traditional continues its reputation as a creator of recognized haute couture. From their ready-to-wear fashionable leather goods and accessories to their footwear, Dior has been a game changer in the fashion industry. The brand is known to be one of the leading companies that have remained at the top of fashion's hierarchy for over 70 years now. Thanks to the genius mind of Christian Dior, this trendsetting brand came into existence and influenced the lifestyle of many.

Who was Christian Dior?

Dior is a brand that was established in Paris and is now well-known and loved all over the world. Since the brand's beginnings, Dior's unique design aesthetic has impacted the fashion industry. It maintains its reputation as a creator of recognizable haute couture while remaining both trendy and traditional. Dior has been a game-changer in the fashion industry with all of its products, including their ready-to-wear fashionable leather goods and accessories as well as their footwear. It is common knowledge that the brand is one of the most successful companies that has maintained its position at the pinnacle of the fashion industry's hierarchy for more than seven decades. This brand that sets trends came into existence thanks to the brilliant mind of Christian Dior, and it has had a significant impact on the way of life of a lot of people.

Christian Dior, who was he?

Christian Dior, who was born in Paris in January 1905, founded the fashion house in December 1946. Dior's first spring and summer collection debuted on February 12, 1947. Following Dior's overnight success, Harper's Bazaar Editor-in-Chief Carmel Snow was convinced of her talent. "It's a complete revolution, Christian! Your dresses have taken on a new look, "exclaimed she. As a result, the "New Look" became a trademark and established a new fashion trend in the market. Dior's pieces were revolutionary, especially in the 1940s, with their unique and innovative silhouettes of shorter, fuller skirts, tighter waists, and accentuated busts. He was known as one of the most successful fashion designers in the world due to the innovation of each of his designs and his business practices. Movie stars and royalty alike have worn his designs, and his company stays at the leading edge of the fashion world.

The New Look

THE NEW LOOK by Dior successfully revived Haute Couture in Paris, which had become a fashion capital in the aftermath of WWII. In contrast to the austere ensembles of the postwar period, Dior created "The New Look" dresses with a small, nipped-in waist and a full skirt falling beneath mid-calf length, emphasizing an hourglass shape. Dior successfully changed the landscape of French fashion with his "Bar" suit from his debut collection in 1947, inspiring other designers to follow suit.

Christian Dior and His Early Fashion Years

Christian Dior was born on January 21st, 1905, in Granville, Normandy, where his family enjoyed a comfortable life as well-to-do citizens thanks to a prosperous fertilizer business. He later wrote that as a young child, he was fascinated by "anything that was sparkling, elaborate, flowery or frivolous," but his greatest love was for plants and flowers. He adored his mother, just like so many couturiers, and her Belle Époque style of dressing was deeply embedded in his mind forever. His father wanted Christian to join the Diplomatic Corps in one of those misguided ways that can frequently ruin a son's career and even life. Christian was sent to study in Paris but, in what was likely the first instance of what would later blossom into an iron will, he spent all of his time on the periphery of the bohemian creative scene that included Jean Cocteau, Max Jacob, Salvador Dal, and, particularly, Christian Bérard—the illustrator who would play a significant role in the success of Dior's first collection.

He graduated in 1928 and opened a small art gallery with the assistance of his father, who agreed to support the finances and lend him money in exchange for not using the family name above the gallery door. Dior's gallery handled the works of many notable artists, including Georges Braque, Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau, and Max Jacob, within a few years of its opening. He was forced to close the gallery in 1931, the year in which both his brother and mother died. The same year, his father's business experienced a major financial crisis.

He redirected his path and worked under the influence of well-known fashion designer Robert Piguet until he was called up to serve in the military in 1940, the start of World War II, and served as an officer in the French army in the south of France.

Following France's surrender to Germany in 1940, Dior returned to Paris and was hired by couturier Lucien Lelong. He then spent the remaining years of the war consistently designing dresses for women of both Nazis and French collaborators as a way of preserving the fashion industry throughout the conflict for both economic and artistic reasons.

On December 16, 1946, Christian Dior established the House of Christian Dior at 30 Avenue Montaigne in Paris, with the support of cotton magnate Marcel Boussac. Dior considers 1947 to be the official year of conception because it was the year Dior debuted his first summer and spring collections.

After several months on the cover of Time magazine, Dior traveled to Italy for a vacation in the town of Montecatini in 1957. On October 23, 1957, while on his trip, he suffered his third heart attack and died at the age of 52. Over 2,500 people attended his funeral, including his successor, Yves Saint Laurent. If you want to learn more about another brand, read our blog article - Clinique - Quality Never Goes Out of Style.

DIOR - The Brand

Dior's designs showcasing and empowering women became extremely popular. In 1947, he released his first fragrance in memory of his sister, a member of the French Resistance and survivor of the Ravensbrück concentration camp.

Dior's designs defined fashion for over a decade and remained one of the most striking looks to this day. Since the 1940s, the brand has grown to become one of the most well-known, respected, and recommended fashion companies in the world. The House of Dior quickly established a reputation for luxury, employing only the finest materials. Dior became popular among the elite social class and worked with high-profile clients including Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor.

Dior began expanding from France by the end of 1949 when Christian Dior opened a boutique in New York City. By the end of the same year, Dior fashions accounted for nearly 75% of Paris's fashion exports and 5% of France's total export revenue.

Douglas Cox of Melbourne, Australia, traveled to Paris in 1949 and arranged a meeting with Christian Dior to discuss the possibility of having Dior pieces made for the Australian market. Christian Dior and Douglas Cox then signed an agreement in which Dior agreed to create original designs for Douglas Cox to create in his Flinders Lane workshop.

What does Dior offer?

Dior, a well-known brand among the upper crust, offers a diverse range of products. From its innovative clothing line to its popular scents, the brand has found itself in the good graces of all of its customers. It is not surprising that Dior products are in high demand; in addition to its exceptional clothing line and perfumes, Dior has diversified their products into various segments of the fashion industry.

Dior has successfully launched its own makeup and skincare products, some of which are mentioned below.

Dior's clothing line has also expanded from a women's collection to now include a wide range of stylish wear for men and children. In addition, they design and have a lavish, luxurious range of stylish bags that are loved by women all over the world, resulting in a new-age fashion trend. One will be surprised to learn that this brand has been operating successfully, adapting to changes over the years. Dior has maintained its high standards and quality in all of its products.

Dior, Today

Since Dior's death, six artistic directors have taken over: Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, Raf Simons, and Maria Grazia Chiuri. Each one of them has taken the brand name, designed, and created styles in different directions. Saint Laurent is known for making the clothing line more youthful, whereas Bohan took the brand in a more conservative direction and Ferré created more romantic and defined designs.

Ferré's design and creation of the famous Lady Dior handbag was a memorable and special moment for the Dior brand. The small black leather grab bag, popularized by Princess Diana, gained a lot of attention for its elegant rattan pattern, round top handles, and gold charms.

Dior Homme, otherwise known as Dior's menswear division, also came about in 2001, with Hedi Slimane serving as its creative director.

Today, Dior is a well-established, luxurious, and well-liked fashion house that continues to create amusing designs that meet every modern woman's style needs. Many popular designers are inspired by Dior's work and his desire to make women feel their most beautiful selves through his elegant clothing collection, and the Lady Dior handbag has become an iconic status in the eyes of many.