Biography of a Great Dictator of Style: Christian Dior

Christian Dior was born the 21 January 1905 in Granville, Normandy, a town on the coast of France. He went to the École des Sciences Politiques (School of Political Science) from 1920 to 1925 because of his parent’s insistence. His family wished hi to become a diplomat, however he wished to be involved in arts, mostly sketching and fashion. In 1928, he opened an art gallery where he sold artworks from painters by the likes of Pablo Picasso. Since the family had a financial crisis, his father lost his job and Dior was forced to close the gallery.
                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                     Dior's New Look:

Finally, Dior decided to go to Paris and began his fashion career selling his own fashion sketches for 10 cents each. At first, his hat designs were more successful than his dresses designs nevertheless, he tried to focus on his dress designs. From 1937 to 1939, he was employed by Robert Piguet, acknowledge by the press as “the most Parisian of fashion designers”.

After coming back from military service, Christian Dior joined the fashion house of Lucien Lelong, French couturier from 1889-1958, where Dior and Pierre Balmain were primary designers. Dior was able to found his own fashion house the 8 October 1946. His first collection came out in 1947 and was actually named Corolle. It became an extremely popular “New look”, which feature rounded shoulders, a cinched waist, and very full skirt. Christian Dior is quoted as saying “I have designed flower women”, he was a true master at creating shapes and silhouettes. His clothing style contrasted the severe living conditions of post-war in France.

Dior became the last great dictator of style in the 1950s. He helped to re-establish Paris as the capital of world-fashion. Each of Dior’s collections were based on a theme- classic suits, ballerina-length skirts, the H-line in 1954, and the A- and Y- lines in 1955. In 1953, Yves Saint Laurent was hired as an assistant. After choking with a fish bone and having a heart attack, Dior died in Montecatini, Italy in 1957. Since then, Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, and Gianfranco Ferre have administrated the house. Now a day Galliano is Dior’s administrator.
   
                                  

Christian Dior is extremely important in the fashion world. Dior created a very feminine and romantic look which emphasizes luxury rather than style. He is an important member of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture et du Pret-a-Porter.  He will always be admired by the whole fashion world