Haute Couture

At 30 Avenue Montaigne, Dior’s maison de couture stands exactly where Christian Dior unveiled his debut collection in 1947. Centred upon the ‘Corolle’ and ‘8’ silhouettes, Monsieur Dior’s vision was christened the “New Look” by Harper’s Bazaar editor-in-chief Carmel Snow. It ushered in a new era for fashion in post-war Paris. From the outset, the House of Dior has understood that tradition is a place where modernity can be found: the New Look was partly inspired by Charles Frederick Worth, the 19th century ‘father’ of haute couture, but the outcome was resolutely new. 

That paradox still defines Dior couture: heritage is made radical through precision cut, drape, and embroidery, perfected by the atelier’s petites mains during countless fittings. Successive creative directors have explored Dior’s codes through their own lens, from Yves Saint Laurent and Marc Bohan to Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, Raf Simons and Maria Grazia Chiuri. With Jonathan Anderson at the helm, Dior haute couture is a laboratory in which creative ideas are realised with exquisite savoir-faire, and the heritage of French haute-couture is preserved and cherished.