We had the pleasure of discovering more precisely the life and work of Christian Dior, through the gallery dedicated to him.
Jean Cocteau said: “Dior, this light genius, unique to our time and whose magic name includes God and Gold.”.
What would fashion be today without Dior?
Dior has drawn since childhood. But did you know that it all started when he consulted a fortune teller? She predicted that his life and inspiration would be guided by women. Thus, after being approached by Marcel Boussac, the textile specialist who proposed to him to launch his own brand, La Maison Christian Dior was born in 1946, after years of pursuing his quest.
From the genius of couture to perfumer, Dior has put on many hats. In 1947, Christian Dior and Marcel Boussac founded Parfums Christian Dior, whose first fragrance was born that same year: Miss Dior. From wardrobe to perfume, Christian Dior devotes an unconditional passion to art in all its forms and above all to women and their beauty. He had in mind to empower women to assert themselves and take care of them. His haute couture collection, spring-summer 1947, gave birth to two lines: Corolle and En Huit. These lines create a real New Look phenomenon, the Bar suit allows women to regain their femininity after the war. It reveals flattering and very graceful curves. The Bar Suit a shantung ivory jacket, which is closed by five buttons, as well as a black pleated wool skirt, became the emblem of the New Look.
Christian Dior will finally dedicate the last ten years of his life to women. In just ten years, Dior has shattered the codes of elegance and femininity, building an empire with a unique international influence. It is thanks to his unique style that Christian Dior is still a pillar of French haute couture. It is a name, it is a brand, it is a style "often copied but never equaled" as Mademoiselle Chanel would say. Like Christian Dior, believe in your dreams!
The magic of a timeless gallery
Since March 9, 2022 and located at 11, Rue François 1er, in the 8th arrondissement of Paris, the long awaited Dior Museum, opened its doors, to the delight of its admirers. Visitors from all over the world discover the world of Mister Dior, his work and his successors of genius.
Today, it is the first permanent gallery dedicated to the work of Christian Dior, where the most iconic pieces are orchestrated like a ballet, each of them more enchanting than the other.
Of absolute refinement, the museum immerses us into a real waking dream. From the entrance, a sumptuous spiral staircase, surrounded by walls adorned with a gradient of fabulous colours from the creator’s mythical pieces. White, pink, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple and black, no colour is forgotten, but the staircase is actually the exit of the museum. We begin the tour with the story of the designer’s life and his rise. Besides, do you know why the star has become its emblem? It was on April 18th 1946 that Christian Dior saw his life turned upside down when he stumbled on a metal star in the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. From then on, as a sign of destiny, the star had become his lucky charm.
In the image of its art, the museum consists of several rooms with different and very poetic staging and decorations. One of the rooms is decorated with paper foliage on the ceiling, reminiscent of a hanging garden, displaying the dresses of Christian Dior himself and of Yves Saint-Laurent, one of his successors. Each room exhibits the models of his six successors: John Galliano, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, Raf Simons, Maria Grazia Chiuri and Yves Saint-Laurent. These fashion geniuses, with different creative horizons, notably John Galliano in 1996, who made the brand take a new turn, making it more glamorous, have nevertheless managed to retain its original values: elegance, refinement and excellence.
Our journey continues in a room animated by a show of lights and a rain of glitter and stars falling from the dazzling sky, highlighting fabulous dresses that seem to have come straight from another world. Christian Dior’s famous “Office of Dreams” is also on display in one of the rooms dedicated to him, as well as a workshop.
We also have the chance to discover the famous dress worn by actress Charlize Theron in the Dior J’Adore ad, in this temple of fashion.
The highlight of the show: the little hands of Dior making dresses in front of our eyes, on their workbenches, their sewing machines revealing all the secrets of this magical universe. The Dior Museum plunges us into the world of dreams, where the child we were wakes up with wide eyes open.
What could be better after a visit than sharing impressions over lunch? Jean Imbert thought of inaugurating a café accessible only to the gallery visitors, where you can enjoy haute couture dishes.
Now we have reached the end of the visit, it's time to go down this fabulous colourful staircase, which we've been dreaming of from the start. Dresses, bags, pouches, shoes, hats, perfume bottles and much more, so many objects that never cease dazzling you.
The Maison Christian Dior, a temple of luxury and refinement, has diversified over the decades. It is no longer just a house of haute couture and perfumes, but also cosmetics, jewellery and watches. Emotions, history, know-how, refinement and elegance are the key words of this wonderful visit. Come and discover this place full of history, out of time, where you will have the feeling of touching the genius of Christian Dior at your fingertips.
We advise you to visit this magnificent gallery without delay!