Brand History & Legacy > 5 Things You Didn’t Know About Christian Dior

5 Things You Didn’t Know About Christian Dior

1. He Wasn’t Interest In Fashion

It’s hard to believe that one of the best fashion designers in the world had no aspiration of being in the fashion world but it’s absolutely true. In fact, as a young man, Mr Dior was interested in architecture, instead, his parents pushed him to pursue a degree in political science at the Paris Institute of Political Studies. However, he did not find the career fulfilling and instead decided to purchase an art gallery with the help of his father. Here, he displayed pieces by renowned artists like Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, Jean Cocteau and more.

Christian Dior later admitted that his love of architecture inspired him to make highly structured clothing that accentuate a woman’s hips and bust.

2. He Trained Among The Best

In 1942, he was hired by couturier Lucien LeLong who owned one of the most famous Parisian couture houses of the art-deco era. Here, Dior got to work alongside Pierre Balmain and other great artists. Later, both Dior and Balmain later disclosed that they owed everything to LeLong yet they yearned to build a fashion empire for themselves.

3. Christian Dior Mentored Yves Saint Laurent

In 1955, 19-year-old Yves Saint Laurent became Dior’s assistant and trained under the wings of the very best for 2 years. However, when Mr Dior suddenly died of a heart attack, Saint Laurent became the house’s youngest art director at 21-years-old.

4. Miss Dior Perfume Was Inspired By His Sister

The Dior family has always displayed a clear inclination of going against the grain. Just as Christian went against fashion and beauty standards, so did his sister go against Nazi occupation. Catherine Dior served as a member of the French Resistance against the Nazi military during WWII. Later, she was captured and sent to a concentration camp in Germany until her liberation in 1945. As a tribute to her heroism, Dior named the iconic ‘Miss Dior’ perfume after his sibling.

5. Christian Dior Was The First To License His Name

Christian Dior was among the very first to license his name to luxury accessories like handbags, furs, ties and more. Although he received backlash for apparently ‘cheapening’ haute couture, many fashion houses quickly followed in his footsteps.

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