Book Review: Christian Dior – Destiny

The House of Dior’s official biography reveals the secretive and surprising man who revolutionised fashion, with new insight on his spirituality and relationships and a contemporary perspective on his legacy. In 1947, when Christian Dior’s model spun her wasp-waisted skirt and tipped a hat over one eye, the iconic designer became an instant celebrity.

His ground-breaking New Look was quintessentially Parisian – the perfect combination of fanciful and elegant that glorified the female form and seduced his international clientele. Yet it was by mere chance that Dior – hapless in the face of personal and professional tragedy – met a friendly priest who helped him to rebuild his faith and to find the strength to chart his glorious destiny.

He went on to upend the downtrodden post-war era with his joie de vivre and his pursuit of a single goal: to make women “not only more beautiful, but happier” through the proportions of his marvellous designs and a colour palette that reflected the Parisian sky.

Christian Dior- Destiny, by Marie-France Pochna, published by Flammaron, list price €15. Purchase the book on Amazon here

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From France Today Magazine