North Mag

Fashion is not only about glittery fashion weeks, high street brands and unaffordable Haute Couture. It is not either black or white but ephemeral and at times mysterious, like a twilight. Christian Dior is a perfect example of that. He accentuated femininity in his beautiful silhouettes, that remind of flowers that could decorate gardens of Royalty. His designs show that fashion is a real form of art which requires a life of dedication and discipline, with some dreaming, of course. Although fashion might remind of Les Fleurs du Mal, his successors have been doing a wonderful job to continue the glorious works of wearable art.

Let’s browse through the timeline of a man who’s creations will bloom forever.

1905
Christian Dior was born in Granville, at the Coast of Normandy. The flamboyant nature and gardens formed his main source of inspiration ever since.

1910
Five years later, the family moved to Paris, where Dior would start selling his sketches on the streets. Later on, his dad bought him an art gallery in Paris, where he sold artworks from several artists, including Pablo Picasso. As you can see, fashion may be taken seriously, as true designers have always had a thing for art. Especially the pioneers from the 19th Century.

1929
The gallery had to close. Dior started working with designer Robert Piguet.

1942
Christian Dior started working with Pierre Balmain for Lucien Lang. It was during the war, that French ateliers, including Nina Ricci, started dressing Nazi officer wives, to preserve the fashion industry for economic reasons too.

1946
On the 16th of December 1946, the House of Christian Dior was founded on 30 Avenue Montaigne, Paris.

1947
He finally launched his first collection in the salons which were shown with flowers by La Chaume.
The former Harper’s Bazaar editor-in-chief Carmel Snow exclaimed: “It’s quite a revolution, dear Christian! Your dresses have such a new look!”

Dior really started a revolution in the world of fashion, doing away with restrictions and ratio. He desired to give the art of seduction back to women. He also loved to observe women: how they’d see his clothes in fashion magazines, were shocked by certain outfits, but then ran to the stores to buy them.

In his first collection, Dior introduced the calf-length skirt for women, with a small waist and fuller bust.

1949
By this time, he was the first designer who licensed the production of his design – from clothing to jewelry and perfumes.

In his first collection, Dior introduced the calf-length skirt for women, with a small waist and fuller bust.

1949
By this time, he was the first designer who licensed the production of his design – from clothing to jewelry and perfumes.

1957
Christian Dior passed away after a severe heart attack. Yves Saint Laurent became his artistic director until he had to leave to fulfill his military service. He got replace by Marc Bottan.

1997
By this time, the super eccentric John Galliano became the successor. Arnault said: “he has the same extraordinary mixture of romanticism, feminism and modernity. But, by 2011 he got dismissed, after publicly showing Nazi sympathy.

2012
Raf Simons becomes the creative director for Dior womenswear, till now. He tries to combine his own style with the epic style of Christian Dior, including his love for gardens and florals.

Fashion facts
☆Christian Dior was slightly neurotic and dreamy at once. He had the ritual to give each model his favourite flower before the show would start. That flower was the ever-beautiful Lily of the valley.

☆Before each show, he would ask a tarot card reader to predict how things would go.

☆Each show included at least one coat which was named after his place of birth.

☆Dior was loved by celebrities right from the start. Marlène Dietrich, Grace Kelly and Jean Seberg were some of the stars who adored all of his beautiful collections.