|
Christian Dior is one of the more interesting stories in
fashion history. Born in Normandy, France in 1905, Dior came
into fashion in a roundabout way. He also accomplished most of
his success in the last ten years of his relatively brief and
tumultuous life.
Having studied
political science in his youth, Dior served in France's armed
forces and then moved back to Paris in the mid-1930s. The
times were hard and Dior began selling some of his fashion
sketches to make money. After improving his designs over the
next few years, he acquired his first real fashion job working
for designer Robert Piguet in 1938.
Christian Dior in
Fashion:
World War II
came and Dior was enlisted to serve in southern France in
until 1941, when he was finally able to return to Paris. He
acquired another apprenticeship, this time with the designing
firm Lucien Lelong. Dior's designs were very well received and
it was not to be long before Dior established his own design
house with the support of French entrepreneur Marcel Boussac.
Christian Dior
Style:
Dior was known
for his extravagance in women’s wear in a post-war time when
women had been used to shorter and boxier skirts, which had
their roots in the war-time rationing of fabric. His "New
Look," as it became known, was unapologetically feminine with
skirts long, gown-like and opulent. The commercial success of
his post-war designs led to a rapid rise in popularity, and
also somewhat of a re-establishing of Paris as the center of
the world of Haute Couture design.
Dior continued
to run his successful fashion house until his sudden death at
a health spa in Montecatini, Italy in 1957.
Shop Christian
Dior:
Today
the House of Dior has expanded beyond women's wear to include
also menswear, accessories, jewelry, beauty products and
fragrances. The Dior accessory line includes eyewear, belts,
hats, scarves and other accessories. Dior also features
handbags and shoes. To view the latest items, visit
Dior.com,
where you can check out the Dior Karenina, Dior Jazzclub, Dior
Gaucho and Lady Dior collections, along with the ready-to-wear
fashions and accessories.
Dior
accessories are available at boutiques and fine department
stores, including Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdale's, Neiman
Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and others.
|
