There is an idea that a creative genius should look the part. 

Think of Vivienne Westwood, or John Galliano. Images of Yves Saint Laurent at parties in Marrakech. 

And then there are photos of Christian Dior, discrete and unassuming, with the style and appearance of a respectable accountant, constantly on a new diet to try to lose his excessive weight.

Born in Granville on the coast of Normany, he was the son of a wealthy fertiliser manufacturer, and it was expected that he would follow in his father’s footsteps by going into trade or business of some sorts. 

When Dior was ten, his family moved to Paris. For those wanting to learn more about the designer’s early years, the former family home in Granville has been transformed into a Dior museum. 

After finishing school, Dior studied political science and served in the military, but dreamed of another type of life than what had been planned for him. 

In 1928, together with Jacques Bonjean, he opened his first art gallery, which he ran, more or less successfully, until 1931. 

The following two years, he ran another gallery, this time with Pierre Colle. 

He had made many connections in the avant-garde art world, and showcased artists such as Giacometti, Marcel Duchamp, and Picasso. Dior was even the first art dealer to display Dalí’s famous paintings of melting clocks. 

However, in 1934, he went bankrupt (and became at the same time ill with tuberculosis), which forced him to close his business. 

Looking for a new way to make money, he began freelancing as a fashion illustrator, which led him into the world of fashion.

In 1946, he opened his own fashion house, and the year after, he presented his first spring collection, “Carolle”. 

The look was very traditional, with inspiration from both the Belle Époque-style and the fashion of the 1930s. The nostalgia of the collection made it seem very daring, as it went against the grain of more forward-looking design. Instead, it had a sentimental quality, as it seemed to look back in time to the pre-war era forever lost, a feeling emphasised by the vast quantities of material needed to produce the garments, controversial in a time of post-war rations. 

For this reason, the iconic editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar, Carmel Snow, said to him, “Your dresses have such a new look!”.

Ever since, the house of Dior’s first collection has been known as “the New Look”. 

Christian Dior designed every season for the first ten years, from 1947 to 1957. These are considered the golden years of the house. 

Every time, he would reinvent himself. Today, this design process is known as revolutionary (as opposed to evolutionary), as it seems to revolt against the previous season, making what was yesterday the most fashionable garment appear completely outdated. 

Each season was more lauded than the previous one, and still today, Dior is synonymous with the style of the 1950s, in particular the marked waists and flowing skirts.

At the time, most people could obviously not afford Dior’s garments, as the fashion house exclusively produced haute couture, meaning everything was made for hand, made-to-measure, in Dior’s atelier in Paris. For those wanting to know more, a great novel to read is Mrs ‘Arris Goes to Paris by Paul Gallico, which tells the story of a British cleaning lady who dreams of one day owning a Dior dress. For years, she saves, until she finally has enough money to make the journey to Paris and visit the Dior atelier. 

First published in 1958, the book became immensely popular and was later turned into a film, starring Isabelle Huppert. 

After Christian Dior’s death, the position as creative leader was filled by the already appointed crown prince of the fashion house, a young Yves Saint Laurent. 

Saint Laurent’s reign was not long, and after only two years (1958–1960), he was replaced by Marc Bohan, who brought much stability to the house. 

After nearly 30 years (1960–1989), Gianfranco Ferré took over, and after him (1989–1996), John Galliano (1997–2011). A brief time, Raf Simons was in charge (2012–2015). Since 2016, Maria Grazia Chiuri has been Dior’s creative leader. 

What is remarkable is how all creative leaders for every season return to the first ten years of the company, finding new and personal ways of updating and interpreting the original styles invented by the company’s founder.

At La Galerie Dior, inaugurated in the spring of 2022, the richness of the vast archives has been made available to visitors. The museum is located around the corner from 30 avenue Montaigne, where Dior’s original atelier was first installed in 1946. Ever since, this Parisian corner has been the heart of the Dior fashion house, and so it makes perfect sense for the museum to be in this very spot. 

Fashion is not about utility but about imagination and aspirations. To present fashion in the best ways, it’s not only important to show garments, but to create a context that communicates about dreams, telling the story of the brand and the role that the garments have played in the minds of the consumers. 

The gallery excels at this, as the presentation is both educational and emotional. 

At the centre of the two-story museum is an elegant café, with glasses and plates designed according to the Dior iconography.

Even those not particularly interested in fashion history will be intrigued by the high-technological solutions and clever ways of presenting the remarkable journey of the brand, not least the staircase, around which miniature versions of Dior classics are presented, in different colours.

La Galerie Dior

Paris, France