Christian Dior did not become a great couturier right away. First, he went through a difficult path from a simple manager to a real artist, experienced several personal upheavals, and only then opened his own fashion house, which today is known throughout the world.
How did Dior live as a child?
It’s difficult to call Christian’s family poor. The boy was born second in the family. All the children of the Dior family spent their early childhood with a “golden spoon in their mouth.”
Christian's birth occurred on January 21, 1905. He was born in French Normandy. In total, the Dior family had five children. The father of a large family grew rich year after year from the resale of fertilizers.
Christian's mother could afford not to work anywhere officially; she was engaged in the upbringing and initial education of her children.
Six years after Christian's appearance, his family moved with him to Paris. There, the head of the family bought several apartments and houses, thus investing the money received from the business.
After completing his studies with tutors, Christian, at the insistence of his father, enrolled in the Institute of Political Studies, but after studying for a year, he dropped out.
Cafes, restaurants, theaters, exhibitions and cinema - these were the areas where Dior’s true interests were then.
In 1928, a young man decides to study painting. Then the thought of his own gallery creeps into his head. Christian's father refused to help him in this matter. Young Dior does not despair, he continues to intensively search for a partner, and finds him. Jean Bonjac agrees to play the role of sponsor of the project.
Adult life and the path to fame
The gallery of the two young partners began to generate good profits, because such authors as Picasso, Matisse and Derain exhibited there.
It would seem that everything was going just fine, but the 30s became a real test for Christian. The future fashion designer received his first blow when he learned that his brother was in a psychiatric hospital. The second blow was the death of his mother from cancer.
Christian's father was never able to recover from grief, started drinking and almost went broke. During this difficult period, Dior Jr. decided to go to Leningrad in order to somehow forget himself and not think about the troubles that befell his family.
When he returned to Paris, he decided to say goodbye to the gallery. He then set off again for the Spanish archipelago. There Christian again became interested in drawing and weaving. He even came up with quite a few sketches for carpets, but could not find sponsors to start a new business.
After returning home for the second time, Dior tried to work in an office and in a bank, but was unable to get a stable position anywhere..
Being in distress financial situation, Christian is selling several paintings from his collection, and his family is selling off most property and moves to the provinces of France.
The young wanderer did not follow his family, but decided to stay in Paris. He settled with a good friend Jean Ozenn. The newly made friend was already not last person in the world of fashion. It was he who opened the door to the universe of fashionable designer clothing for Dior.
At that time, Christian again began to draw sketches of hats and dresses. His drawings were a great success. He managed to work with many famous couturiers, and was finally ready to open his own fashion house.
In 1946, Dior opened the first establishment where his name was on the sign. A year later, he presented a collection called “New Look” to the world public.
All critics, except American ones, liked the collection. Only they subsided when the whole world accepted Dior as a new trendsetter.
Christian's very first collection was created for women. Dior decided to oppose the ubiquitous ruffles loose fit and convenience. After the successful launch of the fashion line, he presented two collections a year to the public. Later he opened a perfume laboratory, as well as a shoe factory.
From simple but elegant clothes, the couturier moved on to working on costumes for cinema and theaters. Thanks to him, many films of that time were imbued with a special atmosphere of luxury and sophistication.
Personal life of Christian Dior
Like many creative figures, Christian Dior could not get enough of ordinary love. Maybe that's why all his lovers were men. Dior was gay and did not hide his gay orientation.
First strong love The fashion designer became his best man, Perrotino. A few years later, the couple broke up for unknown reasons.
For a long time in adulthood, Christian could not find his love. This continued until he met an African who worked as a model. Dior's chosen one was Jacques Benita.
The happy time for lovers did not last long. In 1957, at the peak of fame and happiness, Christian Dior passed away. He died due to heart problems at a resort in Tuscany.
The death of the fashion maestro occurred on October 24. Dior left no direct heirs and was never married, but his life's work continues to live on today. Many films have been made about Christian Dior, and his brand is still considered one of the best and most luxurious.
Perhaps one of the most famous couturiers of the 20th century. The new look generation began with him. The biography of Christian Dior is enormous, his life was very interesting, at the same time difficult, but Christian boldly overcame all the difficulties of life and revived French and world fashion. In the photo, Christian Dior is very kind, his facial features are so soft and pleasant, as is his clothing styling.
Christian Dior: biography
The biography of Christian Dior begins with the city in which Christian was born and raised - this is Granville, Normandy. At the beginning of the 20th century, 1905, in the winter, this wonderful designer was born. The boy grew up in a house on the banks of the English Channel, his parents were successful entrepreneurs, so they could afford luxury home with servants. The boy did not need anything, all his creative abilities were perfectly developed. His family belonged to the prosperous, wealthy bourgeoisie. There were five of them... Five children, you must admit, is a difficult thing. But since the parents earned good money, they assigned a nanny-governess of German origin to the children. The boy studied languages with her. His brothers, the elder Raymond and the younger Bernard, as well as two sisters Catherine and Jacqueline, were active children, not like Christian. The young man loved to be completely alone in the garden among the flowers, to think, draw the English Channel or flowers, nature, and dream. From an early age, Christian did not dream of becoming a fashion designer, did not even think about it.
Before the First World War, fashion was elegant, lace and peplum, silk, bows everywhere.
Then came the era of modernism. When Dior, as a teenager, recounted his memories of that time, these were the following: beautiful words, he was surrounded by paintings by Picasso and Matisse.
Braque was one of his most beloved painters, as was Jean Cocteau. The teenager also loved architecture in the person of Le Corbusier.
Christian Dior: moving to Paris
The Dior family moved to Paris. Since his father was politicized, he wanted his son to enter the Free School political doctrines. His father wanted to make a diplomat out of Christian.
No one asked Christian whether he liked it. After entering this school, Christian Dior constantly skipped classes, doing more creative things. At the bohemian club he met Francis Poulenc, Christian Berard, and Max Jacob. He watched movies and took part in creative events. His favorite actress at the time was Louise Brooks. The boy also loved the Russian Ballet, which was at the peak of its popularity. After consulting with his father, the son opened a contemporary art gallery. But at the same time, his father was against the Dior name being discredited by this establishment.
Christian Dior: Madame Delahaye's fortune teller
The fortuneteller Madame Delais - it was during this time that the “troubled” time in Dior’s life began. He was very superstitious. Having met Madame Delais, Christian came to her for advice almost every day. The year 1930 came - a difficult year for Christian. One day a mirror broke in his house and Christian immediately realized that he was in trouble.
Soon he died younger brother, then mom. A couple of months later, my father went broke. His fortune collapsed in an instant. The young designer was left completely alone in such a big city of Paris, without money, housing or means of subsistence. Christian Dior became homeless, his apartment was taken away from him, he had to wander around among his friends, and he actually started sleeping on the street so as not to bother his friends. On top of everything else, Christian Dior contracted a severe illness. Christian was forced to change his place of residence and went closer to the sea to a boarding house for treatment. As his friend said: “It took a disaster for him to become a designer.” And so it happened. A new impetus to life was needed.
Christian Dior: back to Paris
After a long course of treatment, Christian Dior returned back. In 1938, he was offered a job in his studio by Lucien Lelong. It was not possible to work in his studio, but nevertheless, Dior decided to move in a creative direction; he liked this area. Having started selling his sketches of clothing designs to fashion magazines, people gradually began to learn about him in the fashion industry. So Dior gets workplace in the design studio of Robert Piguet.
In 1942, Lelong again offered Dior a job and he took the position of junior artist.
Christian Dior: Miss Dior perfume
Miss Dior perfumes have been around for a very long time. But how many people know where they came from? Let's talk. Catherine, the sister of Christian Dior, was in the Resistance during World War II, after which she was captured. She spent 1944 in captivity in the Ravensbrück concentration camp. Christian loved his sister very much and worried about her. In 1945, he launched an operation to free her. All exhausted and emaciated, Catherine returned to Paris with other refugees. A few years later, when Dior’s career was rapidly developing, he remembered Catherine’s difficult story and named the Miss Dior perfume in her honor. Christian Dior perfume has always had uniqueness and exquisite compositions.Christian Dior: Maison Christian Dior
Textile baron Marcel Boussac seemed to be waiting for Dior in his office all his life. When he timidly entered the office to talk about Philippe et Gaston, Dior suddenly began showing his sketches. After which, the 41-year-old fashion designer was offered a million francs to develop his company Maison Christian Dior. The Christian Dior Fashion House began its existence. Some kind of magic just happened, later Bettina Ballard wrote about Dior, Paris and the magic that happened. On February 12, 1947, Dior's stunning fashion show took place. Avenue Montaigne then became historical significant place. Many of the couture bigwigs of society, such as Diana Cooper and Carmel Snow, gathered at this fashion show. The Flower line made a stunning impression. Mannequins appear on the catwalk wearing luxurious fluffy skirts just below the knee, other dresses above the ankle. Adorable hats and gloves emphasized even more a new style, created by Dior – New look.
Christian Dior: New Look
New Look is a clothing style created by Christian Dior. Aesthetics were simply necessary after war time. Women wanted to finally take off their tweed suit and change it to luxurious skirts and high heels, which is what our master gave them. N created clothes as if he was cutting them according to female figure. Femininity is here the main objective in his clothes. The Le Bar suit suited the tastes of many Parisian fashionistas. Soon the fame of such a popular show spread beyond France, legends were formed about it, women wanted to dress only by Dior. Everywhere he was called a real Couturier. Photos of new sketches and images of Christian Dior immediately appeared in the press. Soon Dior had a staff of employees. The famous Madame Marguerite Carré - Madame Fashion - as she was called in the house Dior fashion.
Raymonda Zenaker, his first assistant, was also there. Then Mitza Bikar, a fashion model, appeared. Suzanne Luling is his girlfriend from early childhood- Appointed director of the salon. The fame was limitless. Dior began to be invited to magazines to appear on the cover. Life magazine invited the couturier to appear on the cover of its publication, after which he was invited to Dallas to present an award for his contribution to fashion. Women in Dior's hands became not only more beautiful, but also happier, as he brought something new into their lives, which they so needed at that time. Marlene Dietrich became one of the most regular clients of Maison Dior, became friends with Dior and for many years dressed only with him, and also wore his outfits on filming.
Christian Dior's career
The designer of the Dior brand came up with more and more new ideas to create a female image of a new generation. Each of his shows was a real revolution for fashionistas and fashionistas of Paris.
After all, he did not pursue confidence and a certain way. He changed his image constantly, then long skirts poppies, then midi skirts or completely short dresses- an innovation for Parisian women. This is how he became known to the press, which was always close to the fashion designer. So he created “Trafalgars” - these were clothing models only for the covers of fashion magazines and newspapers. As if he wanted to make trafalgar business card. But such clothing models were couture, so he almost never put them into production.
Christian Dior Collections
Christian called all his shows with one simple but resonant word. For example, “Free” or “Tulip”. With each collection he showed something new, told everything, but not with words, but with shows. With the “Take Off” and “Zigzag” collections, Dior wanted to show the feeling of flight. Was present here too New style Look - namely a very narrow, emphasized waist, and a wide skirt. Some models also had sloping shoulders, which is also called the New look. And everywhere there was something new in every model and collection.
But at the same time female forms were emphasized to the maximum! “Oblique” and “Vertical”, “Ocular Illusion” or “Mid-Century” - everywhere he remembered the woman when cutting each dress! Finally, women's fashion acquired femininity and beauty. A couple of years later, Dior's visualization changed when he created the well-known Spencer suit. Straight midi skirts have been replaced by fluffy and wide ones. Now the woman had more severe forms. However, the lines were still soft, hence the silhouette. The fashion designer was often inspired by nature, from early childhood. The “Tulip” and “Dome” collections were created precisely because of the love for nature. Beautiful, bright colors of fabrics and flexibility in silhouette - these are the new things that arose in the designer’s smart head. He created flower woman, this was finally proven by his line “Lily of the Valley”.
The most famous collections of the Christian Dior brand:
- "New direction"
- "Lily of the valley"
- "Takeoff"
- "Zigzag"
- "Vertical"
- "Oblique"
- "Crown Line"
Christian Dior logo
By 1954, Christian Dior's career had grown to such an extent that it was difficult to contain it in one building. It was the largest fashion enterprise in Paris and occupied 5 buildings, in which there were 28 workshops for the production of clothing, shoes, accessories, bags and hats. A brand logo was created.
In the same year, alphabet clothing lines appeared, which were associated with clothing similar to the letters of the alphabet. But not everyone liked such clothing lines. For example, they liked Marilyn Monroe much more curvaceous, where you could show off your luxurious forms. But other famous actresses, such as Audrey Hepburn, were incredibly happy with Dior’s new image. 10 years have passed since the creation of the brand and for the tenth anniversary the master created the “Free” clothing line, it was proposed to dress in loose clothing, the cut did not constrict a woman. Bright, stylish woman was created by this master of fashion and beauty. He then created the famous sack dress and a line of eyewear and jewelry. Along with Dior, Cristobal Balenciaga, Coco Chanel, and his true friend Pierre Balmain. Everyone had different fashion, each designer had his own uniqueness. The concept of “Haute Couture” appeared, that is, such clothes were not worn on the street and in Everyday life. This meant “haute couture,” which was too elitist and status-conscious for the street, even in Paris. This fashion was created for real aristocrats. Its financial director, Jacques Rouet, only had time to sign contracts. Soon they opened the Parfums Christian Dior perfume line, Christian Dior eau de parfum was something unusual, the aroma was alluring and attractive. Women's perfumes appeared, then men's. Christian Dior eau de toilette has become another calling card of the master.
Every self-respecting woman in France wanted to buy Christian Dior perfume. Then creams, mascara, eye shadow and lipstick, powder and blush and all other Christian Dior cosmetics appeared in the store’s arsenal.
The brand's stores opened in Europe, but soon Dior's fashion reached Fifth Avenue in the USA, New York - the first Christian Dior store in America. These clothes were created specifically for American women. The conservative cut was connected to the American culture of being. Production was so large that in 1950 the master created a financial department that calculated profits. Buyers of goods from Chicago, Florida, and Dallas came to him in Paris. Everyone was waiting in line to sign a contract with this great couturier to develop a line of ready-to-wear clothing. Some were purchased in bulk, others were individual, the actresses ordered everything for themselves, they bought not only concert and acting outfits, but also for everyday life, for relaxation. A press service appeared, since the master was too busy cutting and producing clothes that he could not always answer journalists’ questions. tricky questions.
But nevertheless, Dior’s press service was always very nice and friendly, unlike Cristobal Balenciaga. Photos of Christian Dior were in all magazines. He was advertised in all the most famous publications in New York and Paris; Italy and Spain soon also learned about the fame of the fashion master from Paris. Christian did not understand how it was possible to bypass advertising - the main engine of trade.
Christian Dior: personal life
Christian Dior was gay. It was difficult for a gay man, especially in the mid-20th century; love failures brought him a lot of experiences and nervous breakdowns. In his youth he had a friend, Perrotino, but they quickly separated and little was known about the young man. In the 50s, the master had a lover, Jacques Benita, of North African origin. The designer rarely appeared with him in public, but in the last years of his life he stopped hiding it.Christian Dior: a man of legend
After the ten-year anniversary of the brand, a book was published - an autobiography written by Christian Dior himself, entitled “Dior and Diore”. And this book, by and large, was not about fashion and impressions, creativity and the amazing creative abilities of the master, but about his marketing products, dresses, bags, shoes. This book became very famous. He described his strengths and weaknesses there. The book was quickly translated into many languages of the world. There was a very frantic rhythm of life of this great man. His heart was probably just tired at one point. It happened on September 20, 1957, in Italy, at the resort of Monte Cantini. At fifty-two, the great fashion master Christian Dior died of a heart attack. This sad news about the death of Christian Dior, a man of legend, spread all over the world. The whole of Paris was present at his funeral, all the stars and celebrities of Hollywood whom he dressed, as well as those who rarely saw him, but loved the master, came together. His friend Pierre Balmain, Cristobal Balenciaga were there, as well as other fashion designers - Pierre Cardin and Givenchy.
He left Yves Saint Laurent as the successor of his brand, who immediately took over the post of creative director. The debut of the young designer took place in 1958 in January immediately after the Christmas holidays. He started that year with the “Trapezoid” collection. For France, this is a fashion revolution again. Residents were really looking forward to Yves Saint Laurent's first collection as the creative director of the brand.
And it was a huge success!
In 1960, Yves Saint Laurent left for military service and he was replaced in the creative field by the director of fashion and beauty at the house of Dior, Mark Bohan, and served there until 1989. During his “reign,” the brand’s culture completely changed. The preferences and tastes of the customer have also changed.
New fans and fans appeared, such as Grace Kelly and Mia Farrow. Not everyone liked this image.
Yves Saint Laurent, who had previously packed the halls at shows, or the master himself would have been shocked by the number of people gathered at the shows led by Mark Bohan. So, he was replaced by Gianfranco Ferre, who again changed the style of the brand and brought back femininity. Gianfranco Ferre made the style sophisticated.
And in 1994 he switched to producing his own brand called Gianfranco Ferre. And finally, the most interesting era of the brand came, when it was headed by John Galliano.
In general, Gisele Bündchen paid a lot of attention to this brand while Galliano was at the helm. But on March 1, 2011, he was fired for inappropriate behavior in one of the French establishments. After which, Raf Simons took over as creative director.
Dior brand designer Raf Simons returned the romantic image to the brand, but removed Galliano's extravagance.
Until now, the world's media in the field of culture and fashion cannot accurately determine whether they like Raf Simons' management of this clothing brand.
The name Christian Dior has probably not been heard only in the most remote corners of the planet. This French fashion designer, creator of the eponymous Christian Dior brand, changed the vision of fashion in the forties of the twentieth century, returning the title of fashion capital to post-war Paris.
Dior - the story of a genius
The future couturier was born in 1905 in the family of a French entrepreneur. The father wanted to see his son in the role of a politician, however, studying at the Free School of Political Science showed that this field was not suitable for him. Since childhood, Christian Dior was interested in painting, music, and art history. The level of income in the young Dior's family was quite high, so he was able to open an art gallery in 1928. However, after the ruin of the father, who provided financial support to his son, it had to be closed.
For several years, Dior searched for himself in various fields. He was interested in artistic carpet weaving, which did not find a response from investors and buyers, and tried to find work in an office. It came into fashion in the late 30s thanks to Jean Ozenn, an artist who at that time was developing sketches for fashion magazines. Dior also began to create sketches of women's hats and dresses, achieving success in this activity. After serving in the army, in 1941 he returned to Paris and began working for fashion designer Lucien Lelong.
In his work, Christian Dior always paid attention to the entire image, and not just clothes. So, in 1942 he created his own perfume laboratory, which later grew into a separate perfume company. He called perfume the final chord of a dress - just as the beauty of a flower is inseparable from its aroma, so a complete image is impossible without a trail of perfume.
Brand creation
Success came to Dior after the war. He opened the Christian Dior fashion house in 1946 together with textile manufacturer Marcel Boussac, who became an investor. The first collection was released at the beginning of 1947. Opinions about Dior's creations were divided. Some criticized the models for being too chic, revealing and uncomfortable, while others admired the beauty and femininity of their lines. In any case, the public did not remain indifferent; Dior announced himself loudly and immediately. The American media dubbed the collection New Look (new look) and it really was that.
The usual image of a woman in wartime presupposed straight lines, convenience, and simplicity. The war left its mark on life and clothing, giving it a uniform appearance. Dior's models were distinguished by their bright femininity. Thin waist, emphasized by a corset, open rounded shoulders, raised chest, fluffy skirts - these are the main features of his first collection.
It is not surprising that there were opponents of such dresses - some dresses required from 9 to 30 m of fabric to make, they were called prohibitively expensive. The weight of the dress could exceed 20 kg, and in combination with a corset, the comfort of such an outfit was no longer a question. But the fact remained that the dresses were works of art and made women beautiful, and therefore resonated with customers.
The fashion house began productive collaboration with large American department stores, creating ready-to-wear lines for them. Already in 1949, the Christian Dior brand accounted for three quarters of all exports of clothing produced in France, so it was it that determined world fashion in those years.
Except appearance Dior introduced another innovation - selling a license to create clothes under his name. The Christian Dior brand quickly spread throughout France and other countries, providing profit to the brand owners. Dior didn't stop there. Creating full image women, he began producing branded accessories (jewelry, watches), lingerie (stockings), perfumes, and decorative cosmetics. Historical fashion house Over time it grew into the Dior empire.
Development of a fashion house
Christian Dior headed the fashion house until 1957, when he died suddenly of a heart attack. Over the course of 11 years, he established his work, creating clothing designs in accordance with customer expectations, and recruiting talented couturiers such as Pierre Cardin and Yves Saint Laurent to his staff. Dior named the latter his successor; it was he who headed the fashion house after the death of the couturier.
Yves Saint Laurent
He began working at the Christian Dior fashion house in 1953 and served as creative director from 1957 to 1960. His “Trapezoid” collection was a new trend in the brand’s fashion – the models remained feminine, but became simpler, lighter and more comfortable. Yves Saint Laurent and his style did not quite coincide with the vision of the owners, so when he was drafted into the army in 1960, they did not prevent him from leaving.
Mark Boan
The French fashion designer who replaced Saint Laurent pursued a more relaxed policy in managing the house of Dior. The models were simple, Mark Bohan introduced Dior clothes to the masses, creating collections for ordinary women. With him, for the first time, Dior began to produce casual clothes, and in 1970 the brand's men's clothing appeared. At first, Mark Bohan's line was a great success, especially when the brand's simple clothes were worn by movie stars (Marlene Dietrich, Grace Kelly), however, over time, interest in designer new items began to fade. The company almost went bankrupt and the owners were forced to sell it.
Mark Boan headed House of Dior almost thirty years, however, the new owners justifiably considered that the brand needed fresh blood.
Gianfranco Ferre
When Ferré took over Christian Dior in 1989, new stage development of a fashion house. He brought back Dior's style, its femininity and exclusivity. The fashion architect, as he is called, was the director of the fashion house for 8 years, after which, according to the official version, he left to develop his own brand.
John Galliano
In 1996 creative director the flamboyant Briton John Galliano became and the Christian Dior brand shone in a new way. Galliano created bright and controversial images, and turned each show into a theatrical show. During his time at Christian Dior, he created more than 50 collections. Galliano's uncontrollable nature was manifested not only in his work; in February 2011, he became the culprit of a scandal thanks to his anti-Semitic statements. Because of this, he was dismissed by the owners from his position.
In the period before the appointment of the new couturier, Dior was temporarily headed by Bill Gaten, but he lacked individuality - the collections were strongly reminiscent of Galliano’s work.
(French Christian Dior; January 21, 1905, Granville, Normandy - October 24, 1957, Montecatini Terme, Tuscany) - one of the most famous French.
Dior was a pioneer of active synthesis (“haute couture”) and set design: he was the costume designer for several performances (“The School of Scandal” by Richard Sheridan at the Théâtre de Mathurin; a number of productions by Roland Petit, 1950s) and films (directed by Claude Autan-Lara, Alfred Hitchcock, etc.). He created stage outfits for such pop and silver screen stars as Edith Piaf and Marlene Dietrich, The Beatles.
Biography of Christian Dior
Christian Dior was born on January 21, 1905 in Granville (France), a former fishing port on the English Channel. A few years later, the family moved to Paris and settled in the Passy district, which Dior would never leave. Christian grew up in a large family with five children. Despite this, the family was quite wealthy, since Dior's father made a fortune in the trading of chemical fertilizers.
In his youth, Christian became interested in drawing, he discovered an artistic gift and dreamed of becoming a great artist, but his parents predicted a career as a diplomat for their son. After his mother's pleas, Christian gave in and entered the Free School of Political Science. However, this is where his “ political activity» ended: instead of classes international law and geography, the future spent time in museums, studied painting and musical composition. In 1925, he nevertheless graduated from the school of political science, but his calling was in a completely different area.
In 1928, Dior, together with Jacques Bonjean, an artist and actor, opened a private Art Gallery, which sold paintings by Derain, Matisse, Braque, Picasso, as well as works by little-known artists. The gallery gained fame and a solid reputation. However, happiness could not last forever, and a dark streak came in the life of Christian Dior. In 1929, his father went bankrupt due to fraud and the economic crisis, and in 1931 his mother died of cancer. A few months later, returning from a trip to Soviet Union, where Dior went with a group of young architects, he found himself in front of closed door bankrupt Gallery.
Only in 1935, after several years of unemployment, semi-miserable existence and apathy, did he recover from tuberculosis Dior found shelter with the artist and actor Jean Ozenne. Christian began to design theatrical costumes. At the same time, on the advice of friends, he prepares drawings for French fashion magazines and quickly gains fame: sketches of hats and dresses are published in the magazine Le Figaro Illustre. A collaboration with the fashion department of the popular newspaper Figaro soon followed.
Despite the fact that hat models were used much great success, Christian nevertheless decides to specialize in clothing models. In 1938, he was noticed by the famous fashion designer Robert Piguet, but the Second World War prevented the rapid development of his career. Dior joined the army and served in the south of France, but already in 1941 he returned to Paris. He is there starts working at the famous fashion house Lucien Lelong. Piguet taught Christian elegance and simplicity, and from Lelong he mastered the craft and technology, inherited a flair for materials and a love of handcraft.
In 1946, French textile magnate Marcel Boussac financed the opening own home Christian fashion in Paris.
Quite late, only at 42 years old, fame found its hero. Christian Dior's first own collection was truly revolutionary and flashy. The fashion press called it “,” and he himself dubbed it “Crown Line.” Tightened waists, full busts, small round shoulders, ankle lengths, either straight or quite wide - these are the main features of his first collection, which boldly departs from traditional canons and strives for simplicity and functionality. It seemed that Dior's styles would frighten the buyer, accustomed to short skirts and square jackets, but the opposite happened. Tired of restrictions and poverty, Parisian women enthusiastically accepted the collection. It is noteworthy that her concept bore striking similarities to French fashion of the 1860s. Dior himself said that he was inspired by memories of the beautiful, elegant outfits his mother wore in the 1910s.
Although several other designers experimented with new silhouettes, it was Christian Dior's luxurious collection that reminded the world of the wealth and importance of Parisian fashion. During World War II, Paris lost its position, but Dior once again proclaimed this magical city as the capital of world fashion.
However, the first success was not a final victory: there was also a lot of criticism against the “New Look”. Feminists argued that and was an attempt to return women to the oppressed “labor” role. Others were shocked by the ornaments and colors, as in post-war years the use of such bright fabrics seemed almost blasphemous. America also responded with an unexpected protest: “How dare he return to luxury in a country paralyzed by strikes, where governments are replaced one after another, where literally everything is missing?!” — American couturiers reacted very sharply. A club was even created in defense of short skirts, and Dior was accused of disfiguring women. However, despite everything, the “New Look” became a real “post-war cultural symbol,” as the designer himself later described it.
After the first collection created a sensation, Dior became widely known. He used the most luxurious fabrics (satin, suiting, fine wool, taffeta) and continued to shock the public with progressive silhouettes. The names of the lines literally grated on the ears: “Corolla”, “Cyclone”, “Vertical”, “Tulip”. These were powerful images, the public waited for them with trepidation, but at the same time they were afraid. Before each show, the audience anticipated the appearance of something grandiose. Each model had its own name, and general style the collection reflected the diversity of the world that the couturier valued so much: theater, opera, literature, flowers, museums, Paris.
During those ten years when Christian Dior was truly famous, not a single one of his collections failed - either from a commercial or from a creative point of view. The only dangerous moment for the couturier's career was 1954 - an unexpected return to the fashion industry. The philosophy of the legendary Chanel - complete opposite Dior's philosophy. “The horrors of the fifties” is how she spoke of Christian Dior’s models, accusing him of dragging women’s bodies into ridiculous shapes. Dior's reaction was immediate: he released new collection"Lily of the Valley" Softened lines, natural silhouettes, unobtrusive jackets, delicate pleated skirts with nautical collars... Christian Dior's clothes became light and beautiful.
Soon the name Dior became synonymous with luxury and good taste. Turnover was approximately $20 million annually. It is noteworthy that the couturier organized several major international agreements, and shortly before his death, the fashion house began producing perfumes, jewelry, underwear, and shoes.
Dior's inspiration extended beyond Haute Couture; he was also active in the film industry. Christian Dior clothing can be seen in the films “Bed with Columns” by Tual, “Love Letters” by Claude Autan-Lara, “Silence is Golden” by Rene Clair and many others. Great actresses wore his dresses: Marlene Dietrich, Ava Gardner and Olivia de Havilland. However, as Dior admitted in his memoirs, it was more a tribute to fashion than passion. In his opinion, the image on the screen is always unfinished and too structured.
Christian Dior died in 1957. It was an irreparable loss for the world of high fashion.
Madame Raymond, personal assistant to the great Couturier, noted:
“If Dior had lived, fashion would not be in such a deplorable state as it is now.”
After the death of the master, the owners of the Fashion House changed many times, and the corporate style of Christian Dior was almost lost. Over the course of two decades, he lost many licenses, his popularity and authority steadily “creeped” down. Fortunately, in 1984, Bernard Arnault bought the company from its insolvent owner and literally restored the fashion empire.
Christian Dior is one of the most famous fashion designers XX century. Followers of the legendary couturier carefully preserve the traditions of the master, never forgetting his views on fashion, his craving for everything new and passion for experimenting. If other legendary names of designers have become synonymous with style, then the name of Christian Dior is an expression of all the magic and wizardry of high fashion.
Official site: www.dior.com
In the city of Granville (France, Normandy).
He was the second of five children. Dior's father made a fortune trading chemical fertilizers. In 1911 the family moved to Paris.
Christian was fond of painting since childhood and dreamed of becoming famous artist, however, the parents saw their son in diplomacy. In 1925 he entered the Free School of Political Science.
Having received his education in 1928, Christian Dior, together with his friend Jean Bonjac, opened a gallery where they exhibited works by Derain, Matisse, and Picasso. He took the money from his father, who agreed to provide financial support with the condition that his name would not be indicated on the gallery doors. In 1931, the economic crisis ruined Dior's father, and his mother, suffering from cancer, died. Christian was forced to close the gallery. Over the next few years, he earned money selling fashion sketches. Since 1935, Dior published his drawings in the magazine Figaro Illustré. In 1938, he became an assistant designer at the House of Parisian couturier Robert Piguet.
When the Second World War began, Dior went to serve in the French army. After the surrender of France in 1940, he returned to Paris.
From 1941 he worked for the fashion house of Lucien Lelong.
In 1946, with the support of businessman Marcel Boissac (who at that time took a monopoly position in the French textile industry), Dior opened his own fashion house in Paris.
On February 12, 1947, Christian Dior presented his first collection in Paris. Called the New Look in the press, it created a sensation. It was a radical turn towards an emphatically romantic femininity. The hallmarks of the “new look” included maxi-skirts almost to the ankle (narrow, or, on the contrary, wide and fluffy), small shoulders, “kimono sleeves,” thin “wasp” waists, high heels, and contrasting-effective accessories.
In 1954, Dior introduced new concepts - the "H line" (ironically referred to in the press as the "sack look", with a loose belt marking the low waist, and a tunic-like cut of textured fabrics that almost covered tight skirt. In 1955, he proposed a contrasting “Y line”, with shoulder pads and the main volume of the dress in the form of a large triangle.
Along the way, the house of Dior (while also men's clothing) established a system for the sale of licenses for stockings, ties and other accessories - adopted by other houses, this system contributed to the transformation of haute couture from a private artistic pursuit into a powerful transnational industry.
Dior was also a pioneer of the active synthesis of haute couture (“high fashion”) and stage design: he was a costume designer for several performances at the Théâtre de Mathurin, in a number of productions by Roland Petit and films directed by Claude Autan-Lard, Alfred Hitchcock and others.
Christian Dior created stage outfits for such pop and silver screen stars as Edith Piaf, Marlene Dietrich and Gloria Swenson.
In addition to clothing, Dior created his own shoe lines and perfume company Christian Dior Parfums.
Future couturiers Pierre Cardin and Yves Saint Laurent, who became his successor, worked in his atelier.
On October 24, 1957, the designer died in Montecatini Terme (Italy, Tuscany). At the time of his death, the House of Dior was earning more than $20 million a year.
His family home in Granville now houses the Christian Dior Museum.
The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources
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