Christian Dior was born in Granville, Normandy on January 18, 1905. At first his father wanted him to pursue a political career; so he attended Paris’ Ecole des Sciences Politiques to study diplomacy; however his heart led him towards art instead.
His first line, known as The New Look, transformed women’s fashion during wartime fabric rationing by featuring long skirts with cinched waist silhouettes to restore femininity back into fashion.
He was influenced by his mother’s love of gardening
As a child, Christian Dior would spend hours exploring his mother Madeleine’s garden in Granville Normandy observing flowers and their shapes. His fascination with gardens eventually inspired his first couture collection “Corolle,” named for the swirl of petals on rose blooms. Christian took inspiration from Madeleine’s flower garden which provided him with his floral aesthetic; which carried over into subsequent collections and perfumes produced by Dior.
Dior’s love of flowers was not only an inspiration to him, but it was also used as a form of healing during the Second World War. Both he and Catherine experienced firsthand how devastating wartime losses can be; both lost both parents, while Dior saw his childhood home destroyed by Nazi forces during France’s occupation.
Both sisters found comfort in gardening and flowers throughout their lives, which provided a source of solace that helped ground them and cement relationships of trust and respect between themselves and one another. Both shared an appreciation for beauty, elegance and tradition, which was evident in their fashion designs which heavily referenced Art Nouveau style design elements.
Florence Muller notes in her book, Christian Dior: The Lost Years,” that when it came time to design a new collection for Christian Dior’s label, a ritual involved heading down to his garden and sitting among its flowers; this method served him well from 1947 until his death ten years later.
Christian Dior’s life story was an inspiring success tale despite early hardship. He became one of the premier designers of haute couture clothing for movie stars and royalty while revitalizing French cultural life after World War II. To this day, his name remains associated with luxury.
Justine Picardie’s new book chronicles Dior and Catherine Dior’s remarkable lives from their privileged bourgeois upbringing to becoming members of the Resistance and survivors of Ravensbruck Nazi death camp. Director Max Minghella hopes that Miss Dior: The Greatest Love of All will capture both their deep bond as siblings as well as their strength in facing penury, danger, and fear.
He was influenced by his education
Dior has long been one of the world’s premier fashion houses, known for their daring vision and meticulous craftsmanship that have profoundly impacted fashion worldwide. Christian Dior’s education gave him an eye for detail, which allowed him to master the art of creating shapes. Additionally, post-World War II influences like postmodernism shaped his designs into symbols of luxury and refinement that continue to resonate today.
Dior was born on January 21st 1905, in Granville, Normandy. His home, Villa Les Rhumbs, overlooked the English Channel and boasted a lavish garden. As one of five children in his household, Dior found inspiration everywhere around him; Madeleine his mother was an adept seamstress while Maurice his father was an experienced fertilizer manufacturer; both encouraged his artistic pursuits while supporting him with encouragement to follow his dreams.
At first, Dior had studied political science at Paris’s Ecole des Sciences Politiques with aspirations of becoming a diplomat. However, his passion for fashion and art eventually caused him to abandon this path and embark on his fashion illustration career; later opening his own small art gallery featuring works by Man Ray and Salvador Dali. Dior’s success in fashion was due to his dedication and commitment towards his craft.
After World War II, Dior’s “New Look” collection reignited Paris as a center of fashion, revolutionizing feminine silhouettes and creating a new aesthetic. His couture house celebrated opulence and sophistication; his atelier served as the creative heart. Additionally, Dior established an empire that revolutionized modern fashion business with innovative concepts like licensing agreements for stockings as well as collections designed specifically for certain markets.
Mendelsohn had stated his intent was to portray Dior as an intriguing individual rather than simply as a goofball, so instead focused on scripts and using historical footage for period pieces like the film set during Dior’s life. While many actors can become bogged down with character details, Mendelsohn felt it important for himself to focus on telling a good story through Dior’s eyes.
He was influenced by the post-World War II era
Dior spent his early years living in Granville, France. His mother Madeleine was an elegant and beautiful lady who encouraged her children to pursue artistic endeavours; this also contributed to Dior’s fascination for gardening which would later influence his designs.
At first, Dior’s early collections focused on emphasizing feminine form. His designs drew influence from Belle Epoque ideals of long skirts and tiny waists. After World War II ended, however, Dior relaunched his fashion house and created the groundbreaking “New Look” collection in 1947 – ushering in an era of feminine elegance and opulence that marked a departure from post-war austerity measures.
Dior’s New Look proved immensely successful and earned worldwide renown, becoming worn by celebrity patrons such as Marlene Dietrich and Ava Gardner. Additionally, Dior recruited 19-year-old designer Yves Saint Laurent as his design assistant in 1955.
Michel de Brunhoff, editor-in-chief of Vogue France, saw something in Saint Laurent’s sketches that caught his eye, so immediately hired him on the spot. Dior quickly realized his faith in Saint Laurent as his designs rapidly became global icons and household names.
Dior’s fashion line was an immediate success, yet he endured financial and personal difficulties as his business flourished. He developed health problems related to work, while his marriage dissolved shortly after launching its inaugural collection. Yet through all this hardship, Dior persevered and produced iconic designs.
Dior’s love of gardening inspired his 1953 collections, which featured floral prints and lush fabrics. Additionally, he used his architectural knowledge to enhance proportions on female bodies by using clothing as “ephemeral architecture, designed to sculpt their figures.”
Prada acquired Christian Dior in 1996. John Galliano then assumed creative director duties of Christian Dior fashion house in 1997, leading it into the 21st century with its bags worn by celebrities like Nicole Kidman, Naomi Campbell and Gisele Bundchen – Christian Dior also offers beauty products and perfumes as part of its line up.
He was influenced by his friends
Christian Dior was an incredible innovator who brought haute couture fashion to a wider audience, notably Rita Hayworth, Marlene Dietrich and Marilyn Monroe – wearing Dior dresses transformed their bodies. Christian had a strong social conscience as well and did his part for humanity by opening several charitable foundations and providing funds to art institutions while designing gardens and creating stunning landscapes.
Dior was constantly drawing inspiration from his friends, family and surroundings for his designs. In particular, Dior loved spending time in the countryside where he found peace; spending hours walking through his country house garden filled with flowers, birds and animals was something he did often; this garden even provided inspiration for some of Dior’s haute couture creations!
Dior was raised in an upper-class family, yet always displayed an independent spirit. While his parents pushed him towards becoming a diplomat instead of an artist. When Sciences Po was not completed by Dior at the end of 1920s he left, opening an art gallery with friends before working for couturiers like Lucien Lelong.
After World War II, Dior established his fashion empire. He envisioned creating a bold new fashion movement to break from the sober styles associated with war years; thus his designs became both luxurious and avant-garde, appealing particularly to young women.
Dior was an accomplished businessman and successfully promoted his brand across borders, striking partnerships with designers and manufacturers from other nations like Japan, Venezuela, and Australia to extend his reach internationally. Additionally, he released perfumes and other boutique products as well as selling some of his clothes through retail stores – earning worldwide respect while adding prestige to Paris.
Dior’s success in fashion was achieved through hard work and determination. A master of many trades, he was constantly learning something new; while at Sciences Po he experimented with anarchism while spending some months in Soviet Russia to observe communism’s effects.
