We all know the famous slogan "Dior, J'adore", but what do you know about Christian Dior? Today we will share 5 interesting facts about Dior. Christian Dior, one of the most famous French stylists, was born on January 21, 1905 in Grandville and died October 24, 1957. From perfumes, accessories to the most prestigious clothes, Christian Dior has worn many elegant women.
Paris is the city that he chose to start his career in the arts and fashion industry. Although he worked only 14 years in the fashion industry during his lifetime, Dior changed the industry forever. Dior was also the first French stylist to appear in Time Magazine. He was the favorite stylist of many celebrities like Marilyn Monroe, Liz Taylor, Ava Gardner and many other wonderful women who trusted him alone.
If you're curious and want to know a bit more about Dior, read below and discover 5 interesting facts about it:
He owned an art gallery in Paris
Before starting his career in art and fashion, Dior actually wanted to be an architect while his parents wanted him to study politics. He enrolled at the Paris Institute of Political Studies, also known as the Sciences in Paris. But political studies were not at all exciting for him, so, in 1928, he decided to open his own art gallery in Paris.
Feminists did not like his creations
As we wrote above, Christian Dior first wanted to be an architect, so he always paid close attention to the lines and shapes of his models. This was evident in his creations because he wanted to achieve good-looking looks, so he emphasized his hips and torso. Christian Dior wanted to highlight the shapes and curves of the women's body. However, feminists dislike some of his collections because they do not think women felt comfortable wearing corsets to fit the standards set by Dior. If Coco Chanel wanted women to feel comfortable in their wardrobe, Dior preferred to highlight their shapes.
The story behind the Miss Dior scent
During World War II, Christian Dior's sister, Catherine Dior, was a member of the French Resistance against Nazi occupation. She was captured by the Gestapo and taken to the Ravensbrück concentration camp in Germany, where she remained imprisoned until her liberation in 1945. In honor of his sister, Dior named one of his perfumes as "Miss Dior". The essence of the fragrance is many flowers, referring to the time they spent in the South of France, at Grasse.
He hired Yves Saint-Laurent
One of the interesting facts about Dior is that Yves Saint-Laurent was his employee. When Yves Saint-Laurent became Dior's assistant in 1955, he was only 19 years old. Two years later, Christian Dior died of a heart attack and Yves Saint-Laurent became the artistic director of the Dior house.
Each collection has its own silhouette
Christian Dior adapted his collections every time. In 1947, after World War II, he introduced creations that were to bring joy and confidence to people. For example, it can be clearly seen that the flowers inspired the wardrobe patterns of the "Corolle" collection. The women wearing the Corolle dress looked like young tulips! Then, the "En 8" collection, also known as the "New Look", increased the curves of the women's body.
The creations defined the waist to highlight the curves of the body. With this collection, Dior hoped to regain the desire to be seduced. He wanted women to point out their best assets so that they could regain the confidence they lost during the war, a period of insecurity and anxiety.
Dior's future collections were more moderate. Belly and hips were less pronounced. Each collection featured a different silhouette depending on its context. His creations were based on society. He believed that fashion could give women what they needed.
