Friday, December 16, 2011

Christian Dior


Christian Dior was born on January 21, 1905 in Basse Normandy, France. From a young age Dior took an interest in art and fashion. As a young boy he would sell his sketches for ten cents a piece and by 1928 with his father's help, he and a friend opened an art gallery.

Though after closing the gallery, Dior was called for military service, and during the thirties and forties he worked with Robert Piguet and by 1942 he designed for the House of Lelong, and became one of the top designers. During his time at Lelong, Dior designed and dressed Nazi wives, the only way houses like Nina Ricci, Patou, and Lanvin were able to survive their business.

It was December 16, 1946 when Dior founded his fashion house in Paris and his first collection, Corelle, was successful. The Dior New Look was nicknamed by Harper's Bazaar editor in chief due to the new curvy shape and silhouette of long voluptuous skirts and bustier bodice.

Dior revolutionized the way women dressed by creating the New Look, the shirtdress, and the pencil skirt. He was a genius, an artist, a man ahead of his time, who wanted to glamorize women.