Christian Dior

1905: birth and childhood

Christian Dior was born in Granville, Le Manche, in the region of Normany France, in a wealthy family and his father was a successfuindustrialist. He grew up with his four siblings in la villa des Rhumbs in Graville, with which he had very fond memories and even counted as his main inspiration as couture designer.

1928-1934: Avant Garde Art Gallery

In 1928, Christian Dior opened an art galery in Paris, selling artworks of artists he either admired or knew personally, like Pablo Picasso, Henry Matisse, George Praque, etc. But he had chosen a bad time. Barely a year later, came the Great Depression, and Dior`s gallery never really took off, and in 1934, he had to close the gallery and liquidate all the paintings.

And for the next few years, Dior wondered about, sold a few fashion sketches here and there, for different couturiers. Then in 1937, Dior was employed by the fashion designer Robert Piguet who would teach him the virtues of simplicity through which true elegance must come. One of his original designs for Piguet, a day dress with a short, full skirt called "Cafe Anglais", was particularly well received

1947: The New Look

In 1945, Christian Dior met Marcel Boussac, a tycoon of textile with a nickname of `the king of cotton`, who recoginzed immediately Christian Dior`s talent and decided to invest 60 million franc to help Dior open his own couture house. Maison Dior was opened in December 1946, and just a few month later, on 12 February 1947, Christian Dior presented his premier collection that shocked and enchanted the world.

The collection, originally named Corolle(Circlet of flower petals in English, or its botanic name Corolla) as the inspiration of the silhouettes came from the curves of flowers, was forever called `The new look` thanks to the comments of Carmel Snow, editor in chief of Harpers’ Bazaar at the moment: “It’s quite a revolution, dear Christian ! Your dresses are wonderful, they have such a new look !”

Tired of the utility look of the war time clothes, women around the world embraced Christian Dior`s revolutionary and feminine creations immediately, and made Paris once more the center of fashion after World War II.

1947-1957: Glory

christiand dior 1955 red coat dress escalarte

Christian Dior receiving honory membership of Red Cross from Princess Margaret, 3 November 1954

1957: Death

On 24 October 1957, Christian Dior died while on a holiday and cure in Montecatini, Italy. There are several different sayings about the cause of his death, but until today, it still remains mystery.

the designing style

Colors:

From fire red to subtle grey, Christian Dior is not shy to use colours and he is a master in combining and contrasting them to make them visually atunning.

Fabrics:

Christian Dior used mostly wool and silk for his creations.

Silhouette:

The most famous silhouette of Christian Dior is the New Look: the hour glass shape with tailored upper body, soft and sloping shoulders and lower body encased in yards and yards of fabric like petals of flowers in blossom.