Dior: The Art of the Bow

EDITED BY THE HOUSE OF DIOR

Decorative and extravagant, symbolic or purely functional, bows are one of the most distinctive stylistic elements of the House of Dior since its creation.

When Christian Dior opened his Paris couture house in the late 1940s, he began to reemploy the codes of eighteenth-century French fashion to define his glamorous New Look—a flourishing symbol of the return of Paris and French fashion on the world stage.

An exquisite silk bow, symbolizing both a perfect gift and the epitome of French elegance and handcrafted savoir faire, has always been a feature of the bottle created for Dior’s first perfume, the now-legendary Miss Dior, inspired by the designer’s beloved sister Catherine. The attraction of the bow in couture by Dior has never ceased to fascinate the house’s designers—Yves Saint Laurent, Valentino, John Galliano—who have put them at the very center of their creative vocabulary, elevating each design to an unforgettable tour de force of silken drapery and tulle.

This gorgeous volume celebrates in sumptuous detail the bow’s intriguing history and timeless allure in Dior’s haute couture, jewelry, and perfume, where it is constantly reimagined, mixing contemporary techniques and traditional skills to create new ties to the spirit of the times.

Since Christian Dior’s sudden death in 1957, the House of Dior has continued to evolve and consolidate its leading place in the fashion world under the guiding hand of six further directors: Yves Saint Laurent, Marc Bohan, Gianfranco Ferré, John Galliano, Raf Simons, and Maria Grazia Chiuri.

FASHION

302 pages, 86 x 124” clamshell case, containing a 75 x 106” book 200 color illustrations HC w/jacket in luxury clamshell case: 9782080253095 $150.00 Can: $200.00 November 23, 2021 Rights: US/Canada, Latin America FLAMMARION