Dior made an appointment with fashion fans at 3 p.m. on Monday, January 23, 2023 to admire its spring-summer 2023 haute couture show. Good news: the show can be seen live on the Journal des Femmes website.

The kick off of the Fashion week haute couture was given on Monday, January 23, 2023. That day is 15 hours than the house Dior presents its parade spring-summer 2023 . A show to watch live on the Journal des Femmes website.

To tease the event, Dior posted a short video on social media: an excerpt from a black and white interview with the artist Josephine Baker saying that as a child she was mischievous and stole her mother's Sunday dresses. Enigmatic... So, only a few more hours before discovering what inspired Maria Grazia Chiuri , director of the house's women's collections, for this new collection high fashion .

It is one of the most famous brands in the world. Since 1946, house Dior redefines femininity and diffuses its elegant fashion during parades very followed. A look back at the history, the latest shows and the designers who have succeeded one another at the head of the luxury brand.

What the Dior Spring/Summer 2023 show looked like ?

It all starts with a plan. Exhumed from the archives of the Dior house, it represents Paris and places at its center Avenue Montaigne , birthplace of the Parisian brand. Printed on a scarf in the early 1950s, it became, under the pencils of Maria Grazia Chiuri leitmotiv of sa spring-summer 2023 collection presented in Paris on Tuesday September 27, 2022. Affixed to dresses, trench coats or trousers, this motif leads the imagination of the artistic director of Dior's feminine lines to Catherine de Medici . The Italian, who arrived in 1533 at the court of France to marry Henry II, is known for her role as a patron, but also for her qualities as a politician in 16th century France. ^th century.

To set the scene for her collection, Maria Grazia Chiuri once again called on the talents of the visual artist Eva Jospin , who reconstructed Baroque caves in the cube installed by Dior in the Tuileries garden . There paraded 84 silhouettes honoring renaissance aesthetics : updated corsets, delicate lace, XXL petticoats, sensual corsets, graphic heels... A collection that the French actress was invited to discover in the front row Camille Cottin , the british tenniswoman Emma Raducanu or the Anglo-Saxon actresses Rosamund Pike and Maggie Gyllenhaal .

What is the story of Christian Dior?

' Chance always comes to the rescue of people who really want something '. If Christian Dior attaches so much importance to the notion of destiny, it is because his was only held by a star. April 18 1946 , Christian Dior is 41 years old and he has been working for 4 years at the couturier Lucien Lelong in Paris. Born in Granville on January 21, 1905, he swapped a career in French intelligence for fashion illustration, notably in the pages of Figaro Illustrated before becoming the assistant designer of the famous Parisian couturier Robert Piguet, from 1938 to 1942. On that day in April 1946, Christian Dior had just met the textile industrialist Marcel Boussac, also nicknamed 'the king of cotton'. This one proposes to him to take again the artistic direction of a fashion house named Philippe and Gaston. Will go, won't go, Christian Dior can't decide. Until, wandering rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, he stumbles on a star. His lucky star, he considers, which pushes him to accept Marcel Boussac's proposal on the condition that it is not a question of taking over Philippe and Gaston, but that he launches a fashion house which would bear his name. , where, he wrote in his memoirs: ' everything would be new from the state of mind and the staff to the furniture and the premises '.

The House Dior was born in October 1946, at the end of the Second World War, and its very first parade took place on February 12, 1947 at 10:30 a.m. Fashion critics have an appointment in the salons of 30, avenue Montaigne, in the 8th ^th Parisian arrondissement, where stands today the shop on avenue Montaigne . After the years of war and rationing, the couturier presents a feminine collection, all in volume and particularly modern. So much so that by discovering the silhouettes of Christian Dior, the editor-in-chief of Harper's Bazaar , Carmel Snow, cannot hold back her enthusiasm and tells the creator: 'Your dresses have such a new look' . The formula is a landmark and the couturier therefore applies himself to developing this New Look whose signature is the famous Bar suit, this jacket with peplums which imitates the hips of women and is worn over pleated skirts.

'I wanted my dresses to be 'constructed', molded on the curves of the female body whose shape they would stylize' , explained Christian Dior. Exceptional pieces, therefore, for 'flower women' , as the couturier called them, to brighten up their daily lives after the dark years of the Second World War. For ten years, he continued to draw the contours of this contemporary and elegant woman until his sudden death from a heart attack in Montecatini, Italy on October 24, 1957. Foreseeing, Christian Dior had taken the trouble to indicate the name of the person he wanted to see take over. A 21-year-old young man, entered two years earlier at 30, avenue Montaigne, named Yves Saint Laurent. He remained there until 1960 and earned his nickname of 'Little Prince of the Mode' , as well as press recognition.

Which creators succeeded the couturier?

After him will follow in order Marc Bohan , Gianfranco Ferre , John Galliano , Raf Simons and Maria Grazia Chiuri . If since the creation of his house, the couturier had launched Dior Parfum , its fragrances, it was not until Marc Bohan and the 1970s that Christian Dior Monsieur was born (transformed by Hedi Slimane in Dior Homme in 2001) and Baby Dior. Times have changed and diversification is in order since bespoke creations find fewer customers than in the 1950s. Haute couture fashion shows nevertheless remain and continue to this day. Today is the opportunity for the house to present the traditional and prestigious know-how of the workshops Dior located avenue Montaigne, as much as to make fashion lovers dream. In men too, prestigious artistic directors follow one another and impose their mark. In addition to Hedi Slimane , who exercised this role from 2000 to 2007, revolutionizing 00's fashion by introducing the slim look, the house of Dior saw Kris Van Assche until 2018, then Kim Jones . The latter develops a cool masculine silhouette and multiplies collaborations with super desirable brands.

Who owns the Dior house?

The Dior house has belonged to the French group LVMH since 2017 . Previously, it was owned by a holding company of the Arnault family, which also owns the company, a flagship of French luxury. LVMH has brands in its portfolio, each more prestigious than the next, from Louis Vuitton to Givenchy via Fendi, Kenzo and Celine. The group therefore now has all of Dior's activities, including perfumery, make-up, ready-to-wear and couture. All flourishing activities driven by the sales of hits such as Miss Dior perfumes , Silver Wood , Wild Water or I love , but also by leather goods and clothing which enabled the label to garner a turnover of 53.7 billion euros in 2019.

What are the iconic pieces signed Christian Dior?

Ready-to-wear

In addition to the famous Bar jacket and corolla skirts, many pieces have joined the Dior lexicon over the years. It is so with bustier , which Maria Grazia Chiuri constantly reinterprets throughout her collections. The jupe in tulle has also become a classic of the house, in the same way as the small logo knit or the dress in printed denim .

The handbags

It's not just the clothes that turn heads. Leather goods also make fans of sacs Dior . Among the emblematic models, it is necessary to count on the Lady Dior , lady's bag par excellence, which was offered by Bernadette Chirac, then first lady in France, to the princess Lady Diana in 1995. Then named 'Chouchou', this powerful it bag was not yet marketed. Coming straight from the 2000s, the Saddle Bag , struck by logo Dior and brought up to date by Maria Grazia Chiuri in 2018, is now seen in the arms of all the girls launched. Same treatment for the bag Book Tote that the lucky ones can have personalized with their name. The little Caro quilted bag , designed as a tribute to the designer's sister, is also a model whose success is undeniable.

Newborn of 2022, the line Dior Vibe promises to be the next collection of it bags that all fashionistas will be snapping up. On the program, a bag Bowling with 90's accents and a bag Hobo in pop colors. Covered in the house's iconic cannage, printed with stars or in smooth leather, they are simply irresistible.

For fall-winter 2022-2023, it's the handbag Dior Essential  which should be a hit. Graphic lines, a more chic cannage pattern than ever, a precious handle and Italian craftsmanship make this it bag irresistible.

The shoes

For several years, the house has never ceased to imagine ultra-desirable models. Among his it shoes, Dway mules , les escarpins slingbacks J'adior , Dior-ID sneakers and B23 sneakers .

silk scarves

Taking advantage of the 60's resurgence, scarves in silk have been on the rise in recent seasons. The opportunity for the house of Dior to reinvent the square , giving it more modern lines than ever. Floral prints, vibrant colors, toile de Jouy patterns and XXL logos decorate these delicate accessories. To make them, Dior deploys its incredible know-how, between pen engraving, halo of steam and hand cutting in the Italian workshops of the house. To tie on the head, wrap in a braid or simply wear around the neck.

jewelry

Luxury house par excellence, Dior Paris had to offer its customers exceptional jewelry collections. With Victoire de Castellane in charge since the creation of the Dior jewelry department in 1998, the brand presents around ten collections each year with a colorful image and a flowery universe. The other emblems of the house, such as bees or wind roses, are also part of the vocabulary of Dior jewelry . In 2020, the documentary 'Victoire de Castellane's Dior Jewelry!' produced by Loïc Prigent summarizes all the collections produced by the latter.

Dior and collaborations

Under the impetus of Kim Jones, artistic director of the men's collections, the Dior house has in recent seasons collaborated with many well-known brands . This is the case of the line imagined with the Japanese label Sacaï for fall-winter 2021-2022. But also several creations designed with the American sportswear giant Nike , of which the Air Jordan 1 AND Dior unveiled on the sidelines of the fall-winter 2020-2021 show presented in Miami. Or the collection of suitcases created in partnership with Rimowa in the summer of 2020.

Where to buy Dior clothes?

With over 200 stores worldwide , Christian Dior is present on five continents. A pioneer in its sector, the brand has had an online store since 2005. You can buy all the products offered by Dior there, from handbags to women's ready-to-wear, including men's shoes. In Paris, the essential addresses can be found on the Champs-Elysees and avenue Montaigne . A shop that has just treated itself to a real makeover. After two years of work, the store reopened in March 2022 . On the program: 10,000 square meters of pure luxury. Art of living, ready-to-wear, jewelry, beauty, culture, hospitality... The boutique also houses the Dior Gallery, a brand new exhibition space. Fans of the house can discover the history of Christian Dior, behind the scenes of the workshops and the secrets hidden in the perfumes stamped with the CD initials. And that's not all ! The gastronomy also finds its place at 30, avenue Montaigne since chef Jean Imbert signs the menu of Mr. Dior , the restaurant nestled in the heart of this true concept store. A place to visit right now.

For retro fashion lovers who would like to treat themselves to pieces Dior vintage , it is better to turn to specialized second-hand shops and sites, such as Communal changing room , Collector's Square or Monogram. Christie's, Sotheby's and Artcurial auction houses also frequently offer selections of luxury items. By benefiting from the seasoned eye of these experts, we make sure that we do not buy a counterfeit. Especially since it is common to come across on eBay or in the garage sales of faux second hand Dior handbags .

What are the symbols of the luxury house?

In addition to the logo consisting of a C and a D in capital letters, Christian Dior, very superstitious, made many symbols appear in his collections. In addition to sew sprigs of dried lily of the valley into the hems of her dresses , he was fascinated by number 8 , which has the same curves as the New Look silhouette it originated. His lucky star , too, can be found today on many of the house's creations. the four-leaf clover , which he always kept close at hand, is affixed to the Lucky Dior signet rings, just like the rose , a flower that bloomed in the gardens of Granville, and the bee , the nickname with which Christian Dior nicknamed the seamstresses who worked in his workshops. The artistic directors who took over from him in turn display these symbols dear to the designer throughout their collections for the house.

What links does the French brand have with the stars?

Dior and the artists

Designer , a time director of a picture gallery who exhibited Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Georges Bracque, Alexander Calder or even Alberto Giacometti, Christian Dior has long frequented artists. Among his friends, we must count the poet Max Jacob, the writer Jean Cocteau, the photographer Willy Maywald… This obvious link between art and fashion is an integral part of the Dior DNA, and this, even today. Examples among many others, during his first parade for the Parisian house in July 2012, Raf Simons was inspired by the abstract paintings of the painter Sterling Ruby and the drawings of Andy Warhol. More recently, during Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2021-2022 Fashion Week, Maria Grazia Chiuri asked artist Eva Jospin to create a giant tapestry titled silk chamber, in reference to the almost homonymous book by Virignia Woolf. That 40 meters long work was also inspired by the Embroidery Room of the Palazzo Colonna in Rome. She presented, in all, 350m ² hand-woven embroidery by the artisans of the Chanakya workshop in Mumbai. So that everyone can enjoy it, it was then accessible to the public for several days after the parade at the Rodin Museum, in the room where the show was held.

Dior and the actors

cinema lover, Christian Dior never failed to dress actresses in sight. Marlène Dietrich, for example, attended the brand's first show in February 1947. And she was far from the only one. Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly, Ingrid Bergman, Ava Gardner, Brigitte Bardot , Marion Cotillard, Jennifer Lawrence, Charlize Theron… All Dior aficionados on the red carpet or on the big screen, regular guests at the house's fashion shows. In fact, in 2021, the brand named one of them an ambassador: actress Anya Taylor-Joy, known for playing Beth Harmon in the Netflix series The lady's game .

Where to see an exhibition on the Christian Dior house?

In 2017, for the 70th anniversary of the Dior house, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs presented a event retrospective titled Christian Dior, couturier of dreams . In all, 300 haute couture models imagined by all the artistic directors who have passed through the house were exhibited there for nearly 6 months. What to challenge someone 708,000 visitors curious to know more about the famous French house.

To discover other Dior archives and find out more about the creator's childhood, heading to his hometown, Granville, in Normandy. His childhood home, the villa 'Les Rhumbs' recognizable among a thousand with its pale pink walls, has been welcoming since 1997 the Christian Dior museum . In addition to a magnificent garden, the place houses exhibitions dedicated to the couturier on very specific themes: Dior in roses , Grace of Monaco , The New Look revolution … Enough to discover more and more about Christian Dior.

Source journaldesfemmes.fr