Christian Dior Evening Dresses and Gowns

The current designer for Dior is Maria Grazia Chiuri as of December 2021. She became the first woman to lead creative designs at the brand when she took on the role in 2016. Previous chief designers for Dior include founder Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan and Gianfranco Ferré. On 1stDibs, shop a large collection of Dior garments, jewelry and accessories.

The best way to get a Dior wedding dress is by shopping vintage. While the celebrated French luxury house makes custom gowns for VIP clients, and Dior creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri has designed handbags and jewelry that are part of a “bridal selection” offered on the brand’s official website, you cannot purchase Dior wedding dresses or gowns at the site nor can official Dior wedding dresses be found in the company’s boutiques.

Vintage Dior dresses, including silk formal gowns designed by John Galliano, are among fashion’s most coveted garments. Tenacious collectors of vintage fashion should work with trusted resellers or visit e-commerce platforms such as 1stDibs to find Dior wedding dresses or Dior dresses that can be worn as bridal outfits.

Dior boutiques often have sales at the end of the season on select items. The best way to find out is to ask your nearest location or keep an eye on the inventory. For physical store locations, consult the brand’s website. Shop iconic vintage and contemporary Dior clothing and accessories on 1stDibs.

The company Christian Dior was originally founded in 1946 at 30 Avenue Montaigne in Paris, France. From there, Dior strove to deliver fashion for an optimistic post-war future, leading to the great success of his company. Shop a collection of designer Christian Dior pieces from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.

Christian Dior was influenced by his years working as an art dealer and fashion illustrator before finally opening a fashion house of his own. He was initially interested in art and architecture. Prior to his work in fashion design, Dior ran an art gallery with a friend, where he showed the work of Max Ernst, Picasso, Joan Miró and others. In 1946, Dior opened his fashion house and strove to deliver bright fashions for a new era, discarding the sexless utilitarian garbs that had been forced upon people during the war. Three very talented women who worked in Dior’s studio — Madame Raymonde Zehnacker, Marguerite Carré and Mitzah Bricard — are also said to have inspired him. Shop iconic vintage and contemporary Dior clothing on 1stDibs.

You can wear a Dior Mitzah in many ways. Wrap the long, narrow strip of fabric around your neck and tie it in a bow like a scarf, or coil it around the handles of your Dior handbag. The dimensions of the scarf also allow it to function as a headband or a wrist wrap. Shop a large selection of Dior scarves on 1stDibs.

The last four digits on a Lady Dior date code indicate the month and year. The first and third digits represent the month, while the second and fourth digits represent the year. For example, if your date code ends with 1128, that would mean the time of manufacture was December 2018. This is the same code system used by Louis Vuitton.

Yes, Dior is a publicly traded company. Its full name is Christian Dior SE. The stock trades on the Euronext 100 market under the initials "CDI." The largest shareholder and primary owner of the company is the French corporation LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton. You’ll find a large selection of Dior on 1stDibs.

No, the Dior saddle bag is generally not considered a classic bag. It debuted in 1999 in the Spring/Summer 2000 collection designed by John Galliano. Because of its introduction year, the saddle bag isn't a vintage style and is usually thought of as a modern design. Shop a range of Dior saddle bags on 1stDibs.

The location of manufacture for Dior products varies depending on the product. For example, Dior’s leather goods are made in Italy, their timepieces are crafted in Switzerland, and jeans are produced in Japan. For information on specific products, consult the brand’s website. Find a collection of vintage and contemporary Dior clothing and accessories on 1stDibs.

After seven years as an art dealer, Christian Dior retrained as a fashion illustrator, eventually landing a job as a fashion designer for French fashion designer Robert Piguet. In 1941, following a year of military service, Dior joined the fashion house of Lucien Lelong. Five years later, he was able to open a fashion house of his own at 30 Avenue Montaigne in Paris. At 1stDibs, you’ll find a collection of vintage and modern Christian Dior clothing and accessories from some of the world’s top boutiques.

As of 2021, Dior eyewear is manufactured by Thélios, an Italian company owned by Dior’s parent company LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton. The change happened after the 23-year long license deal with the eyewear company Safilo expired in 2020. Shop a collection of vintage and contemporary Dior eyewear from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.

Yes, Christian Dior and Dior are the same. The French couturier Christian Dior founded his eponymous house in 1946. The brand is commonly known as simply Dior.

After seven years as an art dealer in Paris, the Granville-born Dior retrained as a fashion illustrator, eventually landing a job as a fashion designer for Robert Piguet, and in 1941, following a year of military service, he joined the house of Lucien Lelong. Just five years later, with the backing of industrialist Marcel Boussac, the ascendant Dior established his own fashion house, at 30 avenue Montaigne in Paris.

Dior's New Look — the silhouette introduced by the couturier with his first namesake collection in 1947 — featured gowns characterized by soft, rounded shoulders; a prominent bust; waspish waistlines; and long, voluminous skirts. Dior’s work definitively declared that opulence was in, and his return to a “pretty,” highly feminized style was a direct reaction to years of wartime austerity. 

Find 1950s Dior dresses, bags and accessories on 1stDibs.

Christian Dior is famous for his eponymous fashion house. Dior's style is characterized by its elegant, yet conservative pieces, a range of which can be found on 1stDibs.

Christian Dior is so famous because he helped to set women's fashion trends of the 1940s and 50s. His designs marked a departure from the simpler looks popular during World War II, with feminine details like longer hemlines, fuller skirts and cinched waists. On 1stDibs, find a variety of Christian Dior apparel and accessories.

When Christian Dior died, Yves Saint Laurent took over the French fashion house in accordance with Dior's wishes. Saint Laurent had joined Christian Dior's atelier two years earlier, at the age of 19. He remained the creative director until 1960, following his conscription into the French military and a prolonged illness. In 1962, Saint Laurent established his own eponymous fashion house in Paris. On 1stDibs, shop a diverse assortment of Christian Dior apparel, bags and accessories.

Yes, Christian Dior makes jewelry. The French luxury fashion house offers many fine jewelry pieces, including earrings, necklaces, bracelets and wedding and engagement rings. In addition, Dior has a line of more economically priced fashion jewelry. Shop a range of Christian Dior jewelry on 1stDibs.

Some Christian Dior products are made in Germany. The German designers, Henkel and Grossé, were active in the 1950s and onwards. Their designs can be recognized by a “Made in Germany” stamp. Shop a collection of vintage and new Christian Dior bags, clothing and accessories from some of the world’s top boutiques on 1stDibs.

The fabrics Christian Dior used included cotton, wool and silk. And, in the late 1940s, in an era of rationing materials and wartime austerity, the legendary couturier’s New Look collection definitively declared that opulence, luxury and femininity were in.

Dior’s debut Spring/Summer haute couture collection, christened “The New Look” by the fashion press in 1947 owing to its novelty, is characterized by soft, rounded shoulders; a prominent bust; waspish waistlines; and long, voluminous skirts. His return to a “pretty,” highly feminized style was a reaction to the miserable years of war, and this cinched-waist, ladylike ideal quickly became the predominant silhouette of the 1950s.

Dior’s skirts could have 40-meter-circumference hems, and outfits could weigh up to 60 pounds. They were cut and shaped like architecture, on strong foundations that molded women and “freed them from nature,” Dior said. Buyers paid to attend his official fashion shows, and his models demurely strolled through a salon in the maison, its interiors bedecked with moldings, sconces and gilt-edged mirrors.

Dior introduced lavish hourglass ball gowns and evening dresses while his Bar Suit comprised an ivory silk-shantung jacket with soft shoulders, nipped waist and padded hips over a voluminous black wool skirt. Rather than rationing, Dior’s ladies wanted reams of fabric and 19-inch waists enforced by wire corsets, and the fashion world concurred.

Find 1950s Dior dresses and other vintage clothing on 1stDibs.

Christian Dior apparel and accessories are made in a number of locations. Shoes and ready-to-wear apparel come from factories in France and Italy, while workshops in Switzerland manufacture watches. Parisian ateliers produce all of the French luxury fashion house's jewelry. Sunglasses and scarves originate from Italian artisans. Shop a selection of Christian Dior apparel and accessories on 1stDibs.

Christian Dior used natural fabrics in his designs. The most common ones were cotton, silk and wool. Most of the fabrics came from Europe. You'll find a variety of vintage Christian Dior apparel from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.

To tell if Christian Dior jewelry is real, study the hallmarks carefully. Over the years, the French luxury fashion house has used different styles of markings. If you know roughly when your piece was made, you can compare its hallmarks to images of the stamps on authentic pieces produced around the same time to get an idea of its authenticity. Also, examine hardware like O-rings and clasps carefully. On genuine pieces, the hardware should be well-made and display no visible glue or soldering marks. For help with authentication, consult a certified appraiser or other knowledgeable expert. On 1stDibs, find a selection of Christian Dior jewelry.

An authentic Christian Dior scarf is hand-rolled and hand-stitched. The scarf is rolled in towards the logo and hand-stitched so that the material comes from the back to the front. The pattern should be symmetrical with no irregularities. Shop a collection of vintage and contemporary Christian Dior scarves on 1stDibs.

No, Dior does not make nightgowns. A number of the French luxury brand’s vintage nightgowns can be found online from a variety of platforms, and while Dior garments are among fashion’s most collectible items, treasure hunters may be able to track down Dior slip dresses by visiting a favorite reseller’s physical storefront. Find an alluring assortment of vintage Christian Dior slip dresses and other dresses from top boutiques on 1stDibs.

Whether or not Christian Dior jewelry is real gold depends on the type in question. Dior often uses genuine 18-karat gold for its fine jewelry pieces. Fashion jewelry is usually not real gold. Instead, the brand applies a gold-tone finish to a base metal. Silver-tone pieces typically feature the same base metal under a layer of palladium. Find a large collection of Christian Dior jewelry on 1stDibs.

No, authentic Christian Dior scarves are not made in China. Authentic Christian Dior scarves are crafted in Italy and made of premium silk, cashmere and wool. You’ll find a large range of scarf styles, including authentic Christian Dior, from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.

No, Christian Dior shirts generally do not run small. Most people find that they are true to size. However, some shirts feature a more fitted modern cut. For a looser fit, you may wish to buy one size up. On 1stDibs, find a collection of Christian Dior apparel.

To tell if a Christian Dior bag is vintage, check for a date code inside. Normally, it appears on a stitched leather tag in the lining. If the date is more than 20 years old, the bag is vintage. On 1stDibs, shop a selection of Dior handbags.

Christian Dior is known for designing a dress style called the New Look in 1947. It had soft rounded shoulders, a fitted waist and a full A-line skirt. It was a dramatic departure from the simpler frocks worn by women during World War II. On 1stDibs, shop a selection of Christian Dior apparel.