Dior. A french luxury fashion house whose logo you have most likely seen all over instagram. It’s classy and recognizable, two factors that the newer generations seem to be drawn to. Two factors that have allowed them to thrive and stay relevant for so long. The brand was established in 1946 by a fashion designer named Christian Dior. Although his first collection in 1947 was met with much criticism at first, it would later be credited for reviving the fashion industry in France. It helped build back Paris’ status as the fashion capital of the world, after having the title taken away during WWII. It also introduced a new era of fashion called the “New Look''. This look capitalized on more stereotypically feminine designs, which contrasted with the common wartime fashion going on at the time. The fuller skirts and tighter waist designs would go on to inspire designers such as Miuccia Prada and Vivienne Westwood. After Christian’s unexpected death in 1957, a man by the name of Yves Saint Laurent took over. His collections followed the same feminine structure as Christian’s but with a softer, more comfortable wear. His first collection titled ‘The Trapeze Collection’ saved the house from the financial troubles they had been experiencing since Christian’s passing. But in 1960, he was called in to serve the French Army during the Algerian War causing him to be let go as creative director. Following Yves’ departure from the brand, Marc Bohan took over, and with him came a more conservative style. He has been credited with helping the brand stay at the “forefront of fashion while still producing elegant clothes''. After came the first non-french designer named Gianfranco Ferre. Ferre moved the brand away from the traditional romantic style that Christian had developed to a more structured/strict design. The same romantic design came back in 1997 when Ferre was replaced by John Galliano. Galliano’s pieces and shows have been described as controversial, especially his “homeless collection”. The collection’s inspiration was said to be the homeless on the streets of Paris and images of the mentally ill. Shortly after the release of the collection, Dior’s headquarters experienced protests. Galliano eventually released an apology statement but found himself under fire again in 2011 after accusations of him making anti-semitic comments surfaced. Moving away from his controversial designs and wrongful comments, Galliano did design and introduce the now iconic saddlebag and moved the brand towards a more sexy aesthetic. More recently, Raf Simons was hired as the artistic director of dior. His style directly contrasts that of Galliano in an effort to move the brand away from the embarrassment that Galliano brought upon the label. Now Maria Grazia Chiuri leads the brand, being the first female to do so. Chiuri is known for her fairytale-like dresses and her delicate embroidery. We all should know by now that I have a soft spot for fairytale-like anything, so you know I like her designs.
love,
your fairy godmother
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