Christian Dior French couturier Date of Birth: 21.01.1905 Country: France

Biography of Christian Dior

For over half a century, the name Christian Dior has been synonymous with fashion. Dior represents elegance, femininity, and impeccable taste. Christian Dior, the second child of five, was born on January 21, 1905, in Granville, a former fishing port on the coast of La Manche. His father made a fortune in the trade of chemical fertilizers, while his mother turned their wealth into pleasure. As a young boy, Dior developed a passion for drawing and dreamed of becoming a great artist. However, his parents envisioned a diplomatic career for him. Succumbing to his mother's persistent requests, Christian enrolled at the Free School of Political Sciences. However, his political career ended there. Instead of studying international law and geography, the future fashion designer spent his time in museums, learning musical composition and painting. Eventually, Christian Dior and his friend Jean Bonjean opened an art gallery in 1928, where they exhibited works by Derain, Matisse, Braque, and Picasso. Unfortunately, their happiness did not last. During the economic crisis, Dior's father, who financed the gallery, went bankrupt, and the business had to be closed.

The Journey of a Legendary Fashion Designer

Flipping through the pages of Christian Dior's biography, one is amazed by his perseverance, optimism, and ability to start anew from scratch. After facing numerous setbacks, Christian Dior returned to the art world after a seven-year hiatus. Upon the advice of friends, he began preparing drawings for French fashion magazines and quickly gained recognition. Soon, the future fashion designer met Piguet, for whom Christian worked as a fashion designer for a year. However, fate once again took away his good fortune. Dior was drafted into the army. For the third time, the future master had to start from scratch: once again, there were magazines, once again, there was work as a fashion designer. Only at the age of 42 did Dior finally manage to reveal his true self.

Dior's first fashion show took place in a mansion on Avenue Montaigne at the opening of the House of Dior. Corseted waists, uplifted full busts, small round shoulders, skirts that fell to the ankles or were straight and quite wide - these were the main features of his first collection, which boldly broke with the legacy of pre-war high fashion, which had been evolving towards simplicity and functionality. It seemed that the new silhouette, called the "New Look," would frighten buyers who had become accustomed to short skirts and square jackets during the war years, but the opposite happened. Parisian women, exhausted by restrictions and poverty, enthusiastically embraced the collection. However, the first success was not a final victory. Unexpected protests came from puritanical America at the time. "How dare he return to luxury in a country paralyzed by strikes, where governments change one after another, where there is a literal shortage of everything?" - American fashion designers, accustomed to independence from Paris during the war, reacted sharply. A club was created in defense of short skirts. Dior was accused of disfiguring women.

In the future, when the name Dior became the epitome of elegance and beauty, designers continued to criticize him for every mortal sin. However, the fashion designer strictly adhered to the rule: "It is better to be criticized on the front page than to receive two lines of praise on the last page." And this principle always proved true. In 1947, amidst the newspaper buzz, it was unable to prove that the new silhouette was bad; on the contrary, it drew attention to the new word in the world of high fashion. "Women felt with their faithful instinct that I not only wanted to make them more beautiful but also happier," Dior explained his success later. It is not surprising that in the same year, Dior was awarded the Oscar of High Fashion. This prestigious award is still given to those who have made fundamental innovations in their profession.

From 1947 to 1957, while creating two different collections each year, Dior continued to shock the public. The names of his lines caught attention: "The Corolla," "Cyclone," "Vertical," "Tulip." These were the images that the public both awaited and feared. Before each show, spectators trembled. What changes would they bring? Each dress in the collection had its name, and the "play" had a theme that reflected the diversity of the world that Dior cherished: theater, opera, literature, flowers, museums, Paris. Sometimes, his intimate world could become the theme: secrets, cards. However, the desire to lead a small House of elite fashion contradicted Dior's ability to run a business. After a brief reflection, the established fashion designer decided to create a fur department and open the company "Dior Perfumes." "Just open the bottle, and all my dresses come to life. Every woman I dress leaves a trail of desires behind her. Perfume is an essential complement to a woman's personality, the final chord for a dress. It is the rose that Lancret signed his paintings with," Dior later explained his idea.

The first fragrance for Parisian fashionistas was "Miss Dior," followed by "Diorama" and "Diorissimo." But even this did not satisfy the fashion designer. Soon, Dior became a true industrialist. His companies produced ties, corsets, gloves, handbags, and jewelry. In 1953, Dior acquired shoemaker Roger Vivier, who was already well-known in the United States. The addition of shoes, the necessary finishing touch to complete the Dior silhouette, brought the exquisite "Dior" look to perfection. By the mid-1950s, Dior headed a veritable empire that became a recognized leader in the world of luxury. "I have always regarded my craft as a struggle against everything that can be average and demoralizing," the master admitted in one of his interviews. Dior's successors consider these words to express the fundamental principles of Dior's behavior.

Alongside commercial success came public recognition. In 1950, a grateful nation awarded Dior the Order of the Legion of Honor. A true parade through royal houses in Europe began. Queen Elizabeth invited the fashion icon to present his collection at the French Embassy in London. Similar invitations came from the rulers of Greece. However, the climax came with the fashion show at Blenheim Palace in front of the aristocratic families of Great Britain, headed by Princess Margaret and her guests, the Duke and Duchess of Marlborough.

Dior's inspiration extended beyond Haute Couture; he also actively worked for the film industry. His fashion house created costumes for the main characters in films such as "The Feather Bed" by Rollaiatoulay, "Love Letters" by Claude Autant-Lara, "Golden Salads" by René Clément, and many others. Great actresses and friends, such as Marlene Dietrich, Ava Gardner, and Olivia de Havilland, wore his dresses. However, as Dior admits in his memoirs, working in the world of cinema was more of a tribute to fashion than a passionate desire. According to the virtuoso of historical costumes, the on-screen image is not complete or structured enough. Despite numerous requests, Dior often declined to collaborate with film companies under any pretext. However, he considered his work on Marcel Achard's film "Paris Waltz" to be successful. The film depicted the era of Napoleon III, a period of fashion that the master loved.

Another facet of Christian Dior's personality was his pedagogical talent. At first glance, he could assess the work of a young designer and eagerly recruit newcomers to his fashion house. Here, Pierre Cardin tailored women's suits for his first collection, and Jean-Louis Scherrer and Frederic Castet learned the secrets of the profession. Dior not only discovered talents but also helped them ascend to the Olympus of Haute Couture, a trait not typically seen in this world. For example, by the age of 24, Frederic Castet had his own atelier. When a certain Yves Saint Laurent joined the House of Dior in 1955, Dior quickly recognized the newcomer's talent and soon appointed him as his successor. Just a year after Dior's death in 1957, Yves Saint Laurent's first collection, "Trapeze," was met with triumph.

Shortly before his death, concerned about the future of Haute Couture, which seemed to Christian Dior to be primarily a laboratory of ideas, he wrote, "The emergence of Haute Couture can be justified for two reasons. First and foremost, it is the treasure of conscientious craftsmen. It surpasses its time; it is completely new, and it will determine the fashion of Paris and the world tomorrow. From the couturier, it will move into boutiques, then reach ready-to-wear manufacturers, and from there, take over shop windows and streets. The press, radio, cinema, and television will try to accelerate its progress. In a few months, the great migration of fashion will take place. And then, depending on their means, everyone will either adapt or become fashionable." While other illustrious names of Haute Couture are synonymous with style, Dior is the embodiment of the magic of fashion and its ability to be reborn. It is astonishing that, despite being the most luxurious of all fashion houses, "Dior" became popular with millions of women.

To this day, the followers of the legendary fashion designer carefully preserve the traditions of the master, his view of fashion, his desire for everything new, and his passion for experimentation. After Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan took over the house, skillfully combining his creativity with loyalty to Christian Dior's spirit. In 1989, Bernard Arnault, the owner of the company, appointed Gianfranco Ferre as the artistic director. The Italian fashion designer brilliantly continued the legacy of elegance and the pursuit of perfection in the spirit of Christian Dior.