When Christian Dior launched his couture house, in 1946, he wanted nothing less than to make “an elegant woman more beautiful and a beautiful woman more elegant.” He succeeded, and in doing so the visionary designer altered the landscape of 20th century fashion. Vintage Dior bags, shoes, evening dresses, shirts and other garments and accessories are known today for their feminine and sophisticated sensibility.
Dior was born in Granville, on the Normandy coast, in 1905. His prosperous haute bourgeois parents wanted him to become a diplomat despite his interest in art and architecture. However, they agreed to bankroll an art gallery, which Dior opened in 1928 in Paris with a friend.
This was the start of Dior’s rise in the city’s creative milieu, where he befriended Pablo Picasso and Jean Cocteau. After seven years as an art dealer, 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.
Just two years after the end of World War II, the fashion crowd and the moribund haute couture industry were yearning, comme tout Paris, for security and prosperity, desperate to discard the drab, sexless, utilitarian garb imposed by wartime deprivation. They needed to dream anew.
And Dior delivered: He designed a collection for a bright, optimistic future. “It’s quite a revolution, dear Christian!” exclaimed Carmel Snow, the prescient American editor-in-chief of Harper’s Bazaar, famously proclaiming, “Your dresses have such a new look.” The press ran with the description, christening Dior’s debut Spring/Summer haute couture collection the New Look. “God help those who bought before they saw Dior,” said Snow. “This changes everything.”
Dior’s collection definitively declared that opulence, luxury and femininity were in. His 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. Rather than rationing, his ladies wanted reams of fabric and 19-inch waists enforced by wire corsets, and the fashion world concurred. The debut got a standing ovation.
In the subsequent decade, Paris ruled as the undisputed fashion capital of the world, and Christian Dior reigned as its king. With the luxuriously full skirts of his New Look, suits and his drop-dead gorgeous couture dresses and ball gowns worthy of any princess, Dior gave women the gift of glamour they’d lost in the miserable years of war.
On 1stDibs, find an exquisite range of vintage Christian Dior clothing, jewelry, handbags and other items.
2004 Christian Dior Galliano D’Trick White Leather Pointed Sporty Kitten Heels
By Christian Dior, John Galliano for Christian Dior
Located in Sheffield, GB
2004 Christian Dior by John Galliano D’Trick Red Leather & Leopard Pointed Court Shoe Heels, named in homage to Marlene Dietrich featuring perforated leather, Chrome ‘D’ Buckles and...
Christian Dior Beige Lace-Up Heels Size 35.5
By Christian Dior
Located in Krakow, PL
Step out in style with these elegant Christian Dior heels! These beautiful shoes feature a unique textured textile design, a chic pointed toe, and a stylish lace-up closure. The scul...
Dior Galliano Era 2002 Canvas Leather Grommet Heels Slingback 38.5
By John Galliano for Christian Dior, Christian Dior
Located in San Jose, CA
Authentic Christian Dior slingback heels from the Spring/Summer 2002 era under John Galliano. These Y2K Dior heels feature brown leather with beige canvas straps accented by gold-tone grommet hardware and a pointed toe silhouette. Cross straps wrap over the vamp while the adjustable slingback ankle strap secures with a gold buckle. The sculpted heel is wrapped in matching canvas, creating a cohesive look that reflects the utilitarian-meets-feminine aesthetic seen throughout early 2000s Dior collections. Signature Dior branding appears on the insole and outsole. The mix of canvas, leather, and metal detailing makes these heels a standout example of Galliano-era Dior design. Perfect for vintage designer collectors, Y2K styling, fashion archives, or pairing with denim, tailoring, or slip dresses for a modern early-2000s look. Made in Italy. Size: EU 38.5 (approx. US 8-8.5) Material: Leather and canvas Color: Brown / Beige with gold-tone hardware Closure: Slingback ankle strap with buckle Condition: Good pre-owned condition. Visible wear to soles and minor wear consistent with use. Structure remains solid. Includes original Dior box. Please review photos. Keywords: christian dior heels, galliano dior shoes, y2k dior heels, 2002 dior shoes, dior canvas heels, vintage dior heels...
$395Sale Price|55% Off
Size: Marked Size: 8 Fits U.S. 7.5
New Edmundo Castillo White Leather Sling Heels Sz 7.5
By Edmundo Castillo
Located in Conroe, TX
Rare Edmundo Castillo Brand New * Marked Size: 8 Fits U.S. Size 7.5 These Run a Half Size Small * Butter Soft White Napa Leather * Slingback Heel * Open toe Leather Footbed * 3.75...
JIL SANDER Chalk white leather 2024 T-BAR Sandals Shoes 39
By Jil Sander
Located in Zürich, CH
These 100% authentic Jil Sander sandals in Chalk (cream) white leather are a minimalist's dream, showcasing the brand’s signature understated elegance. Designed with a refined T-bar ...
Christian Dior 2024 Escarpins EU39 Jadior Embroided Slingback Pumps UK6 US8.5
By Christian Dior
Located in PARIS, FR
Christian Dior J'Adior slingback pumps, 2024 limited edition, crafted from openwork mesh hand-embroidered with gold-tone thread and the black J'ADIOR logo. Size EU 39 (UK 6 / US 8.5)...
PRADA white patent leather T-BAR BLOCK HEEL Slingbacks Shoes 39
By Prada
Located in Zürich, CH
100% authentic Prada slingbacks in white patent leather. Designed in a refined, sculpted silhouette with a clean, modern line, these elegant heels feature structured square toes, a d...
rare CHRISTIAN DIOR John Galliano Vintage beige leather wood detail pumps EU37
By Christian Dior, John Galliano
Located in Hong Kong, NT
rare CHRISTIAN DIOR John Galliano Vintage beige leather wood detail pumps EU37 Reference: SYDN/A00008 Brand: Dior Designer: John Galliano Material: Leather Color: Nude, White Patter...
Christian Dior Beige Leather Sandals Sz.35
By Christian Dior
Located in Krakow, PL
Christian Dior Python Print Lambskin Leather Sandals – Sz.35 Elegant Christian Dior beige sandals with silver hardware, adjustable strap, open t...
Dior lace-up ballerinas 60s vibe SS22 collection ecru/off white 39.5
By Christian Dior
Located in KRAKÓW, PL
En voyage to the swinging 60s and the Piper Club for Dior Spring Summer 2022 Take us back to the swinging 60s and dress us head to toe in Dior Mod. As that was, quintessentially, th...
Andy Warhol and the fashion house’s first collections were among the creative director’s inspirations.
There's a renewed appreciation for the era's aesthetic, perhaps most notably among millennials seeking authentic, easy style.
