30 Avenue Montaigne
Enter the heart of 30 Avenue Montaigne, this “packed little beehive” where the Christian Dior legend was born 75 years ago!
Christian Dior’s office (1951)
In 1952, Christian Dior moved his office to a small room adjoining his studio, from which he could supervise the administrative affairs of the House, which he knew inside out.
Christian Dior in his office, circa 1955.
Christian Dior wrote a lot about the profession of couturier, which he reinvented with his couture House in the modern, post-War era. In 1951, Editions du Conquistador published his book, Je suis couturier, which had been serialized at the end of the summer in the magazine ELLE. The reader of this book can follow the steps involved in creating an Haute Couture collection in the greatest detail, from the sketches to the sale of the prototypes.
Elle magazine, 13 August 1951 in which is published excerpts of the book Je suis couturier (published in English as Talking About Fashion). © Elle France
In 1954, Christian Dior published The Little Dictionary of Fashion in the United States, in which he gave all manner of advice to his American readers – already familiar with the couturier’s pronouncements on fashion from the pages of the magazines Mode and Woman and Woman’s Illustrated.
Original edition of the book Christian Dior's little dictionnary of fashion, 1954.
The Dior Story series published in Women’s Wear Daily from 13 to 20 July 1953.
Excerpt from an article in The Dior Story series published in Women’s Wear Daily from 13 to 20 July 1953.
Original edition of the book Christian Dior's little dictionnary of fashion, 1954.
The Dior Story series published in Women’s Wear Daily from 13 to 20 July 1953.
Excerpt from an article in The Dior Story series published in Women’s Wear Daily from 13 to 20 July 1953.
On 3 August 1955, Christian Dior also participated in a conference in the Sorbonne’s Grand Amphithéâtre on “The aesthetics of fashion,” as part of a course on history and French civilization. A fashion show featuring several of his most beautiful designs, including the iconic Bar suit of 1947, followed his speech.
In 1956, he started writing his memoir, in which he talks more about his fashion house and his vocation than he does about Christian, the discreet man who detested the limelight. Christian Dior et moi (Dior by Dior) was published by Amiot-Dumont and translated into several languages. It is, first and foremost, an impressive record of the history of the House and how it was run.
Original edition of the book Christian Dior et moi, published in 1956.
American edition of the book Christian Dior et moi, published in 1957.
English edition of the book Christian Dior et moi, published in 1958.
German edition of the book Christian Dior et moi, published in 1958.
Dutch edition of the book Christian Dior et moi, published in 1957.
Original edition of the book Christian Dior et moi, published in 1956.
American edition of the book Christian Dior et moi, published in 1957.
English edition of the book Christian Dior et moi, published in 1958.
German edition of the book Christian Dior et moi, published in 1958.
Dutch edition of the book Christian Dior et moi, published in 1957.
“At the end of the day, the whole of my life is – whether I like it or not – expressed in his dresses.”
TIME magazine cover from 4 March 1957. In 1957, Christian Dior became the first French couturier to make the cover of a famous magazine, following Elsa Schiaparelli in 1934. This cover celebrates the couturier who in 1957 would celebrate the tenth anniversary of his House and the advent of the New Look.
Even though Christian Dior had been among the five most internationally known personalities since 1949, it was not until 1957 – ten years after he presented his first collection – that he became the first French fashion designer to appear on the cover of TIME magazine, which devoted a major article to him.