Christian Dior: the Biography

Product delivered quickly and in great condition. The book isn’t an easy read but very interesting none the less.

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My fiancee loved it. She was so excited when she opened the pkg. Even moreso b/c it was autographed by the author.

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I’ve got to say it: The ‘Introduction’ of this book was written in 2007 by the current head of Dior at that time, the Brit, John Galliano before he was removed from his position for disgracing the House of Dior at a restaurant, letting off a litany of racist remarks against some the patrons.That tidbit aside, Galliano, as Head of Dior, stressed that the importance of his job at Dior was to carry forward with Dior’s concept of the post WWII feeling of having relief from war-time restriction, then post-war expansion, with luxuriously well-made couture clothing as a ‘New Look’. As its current head then, Galliano had studied the past ‘New Look’ collections from Dior, himself, in Dior’s archives, through those of Dior’s successive Heads and came up with his own ideas about what his version of the House of Dior ‘New Look’ haute couture should be when he took over the baton.Dior started his House by understanding that clothes could hide what needed to be hidden – while being meticulously made to fit each client, while making them look good. Case in point, Dior even made ‘Plain-Jane’ American Wallis Simpson, who married into the House of Windsor, look good!The ‘Preface’ of the book chronicles how the writer, Marie-France Pochna, a French law graduate and now a writer came to write about Dior, a person that she hadn’t ever met. Buy the book to read her entire story about how the writing of this book came about.In Chapter 2, the title is a quote by Andre Gide: “Les Enfants terribles”, Les Parents, terribles”. The rough translation into English is: “Family! I hate you!” Most people are grateful to their parents/ families for raising them right, giving them love and encouragement, so that they can flourish as they grow up. In Dior’s case, he didn’t see that he had this. Read the book to see how he flourished in France without the safety net of his family.In Dior’s case, there were 2 opposing poles pulling and pushing apart in Dior’s life, but these forces worked in such a way as to not destroy him. Dior somehow worked with these opposing energies to catapult himself forward - first in France and then in New York - with a wealthy clientele and then, internationally.Read this book and note how Dior named his gowns and what inspired him to create them.Look at his sketches, and the famous people who wore his haute couture. Look especially on page 108 to see his “famous ‘Bar’ suit, the essence of the New Look, February 12, 1947”. This was post-war, a time of happiness and expansion, and the date shows that it was 2 days before Valentine’s Day – just what wealthy female patrons wanted their wealthy menfolk to purchase for them! The suit is gorgeous and can be worn even now because this is considered a ‘classic’ style.Read the book to find out how Dior got his funding and what he called these creditors.Read the book to find out how Dior found his successor - who he was, where he was born, how he got to Paris, how he ended up at Dior, and how Dior finally caught wind of him.Read the book to find out how he tailored his will like he tailored his gowns.At the end, Dior was both faithful and unfaithful to his friends; he was for everybody and nobody, simultaneously. This mirrors the polemics described in the title of Chapter 2, when he was young. Yet, these 2 opposing poles kept pushing each other to propel him forward in life.Until he died. Read the book to find out how and where this happened.In continuance with Dior’s polemics, read about his friend Bonita, mentioned as a thread running throughout parts of the book. Who was she?At the end of the book, there are the following sections: Acknowledgements, References, Bibliography (including AV sources), and Index.Note that the polemics that ruled Dior’s life also came out clearly through the author’s own writing style of this book: there were parts of this book that made me laugh and others that made me cry – just as Dior had lived his life. The author skillfully captured this in the way that she wrote about Dior’s life.This is a book that all fashion lovers will devour; it is also an honest history about one of the most famous couturiers who headed one of the most famous Fashion Houses in the world – Christian Dior.

Ms Pochna knows her subject, and we live the excitement of the creation of one of the great houses through her eyes. A must for fashionista and lovers of quality